


A Forget Me Not at the Crime Scene

by Shelb253947



Category: Broadchurch, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:07:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 119,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shelb253947/pseuds/Shelb253947
Summary: Evelyn Alexandra Smith. She stopped travelling with her mother and father through space and time when it was time for her to go off to University. However, there were more reasons behind it than just school. She became a police officer, and rose through the ranks to become a DI as Broadchurch CID. What happens when the death of Daniel Latimer puts her in the path of DI Alec Hardy?
Relationships: Alec Hardy/Original Female Character(s), Beth Latimer/Mark Latimer, Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble
Comments: 47
Kudos: 31





	1. DI Evelyn Smith

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Broadchurch or Doctor Who. The only character I own is Evelyn.

Broadchurch was a wonderful little beachside town to settle down in when you wanted to escape the past. It had been Eve’s home for a little over 5 years now, and it had steadily grown on her the longer she stayed. She had a little house about 10 minutes from her work, and she got along with her neighbors. Not that they saw her much when she wasn’t on the job as she was often content to stay inside with her books, tv, and dog to entertain her. They thought it was strange for a young single lady to not actively try to find herself a suitor. After all, she had that hourglass figure that was to die for, not that she’d ever really cared. Eve’s mahogany red shoulder length curly hair and periwinkle blue eyes made her a common choice of men that saw her walking around the town. 

However, she never seemed to want to find somebody. It was like she had be burned too badly to ever want to try again. She had moved into town from Chiswick, but had an estuary accent. She had explained that her parents had moved to southern England from London, so she had grown up accustomed to that accent despite her childhood environment being further south. Following her few years at college where she had gotten a bachelor of arts in education, she had decided to join the police academy. No one ever really seemed to understand why, but she had quickly climbed through the ranks, and was a D.I. at Broadchurch CID. Which was where she had met D.S. Ellie Miller, who was arguably her best friend considering she was the only person that Eve spend any length of time with. Although, Eve was also friends with the Latimer family due to the fact that she had watched their son Danny Latimer on a few occasions when she hadn’t spent long nights working. 

Evelyn Smith was a key part of the working of Broadchurch even if she was rather bad with social interaction. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sighed softly as she stared up at the ceiling. She glanced at the radio alarm clock with blue numbers that was still playing classical music softly. She groaned loudly when she saw that it was 3:30A.M., causing Laila, her 5-year-old bi-black (coat is primarily black with white patches on chest, feet, and tip of tail) rough collie to lift her head from where it was resting on Eve’s right foot. Laila had been a birthday gift from her dad, so that she wouldn’t be alone in her house. He knew what it was like to be alone. He was the last of his species after all, or at least he was till he met Eve’s mother, and her. Although, to be fair, Eve was only part timelord, so she would never really understand his struggle.   


Eve rubbed her burning eyes as she muttered, “Way to follow a human sleep schedule, Eve. Way to go.” 

She sighed one more time before deciding that she wouldn’t be getting any sleep, and sleepily tore the covers off her body. She threw a navy-blue robe over her pajamas that consisted of a black tank top, and fleece grey shorts that had multicolored stars on them. Laila eagerly followed after her, and began to wag her short tail excitedly when Eve pulled out her plastic teal food bowl, filling it with pieces of chicken and assorted vegetables. Eve set the bowl down in front of Laila, who began to eat as if she hadn’t been fed in days. Then, she put three ice cubes in a ceramic mug with the NASA logo on it, and poured mocha iced coffee till the mug was halfway full, and leaned against the marble counter until Laila began to rub up against her leg to communicate that she wanted to go for a walk. 

Eve sighed softly as she dumped the rest of the coffee down the sink drain, and made her way over to the door, and grabbed Laila’s teal leash off the round table by the front door. She clipped the leash to Laila’s teal collar that had a matching bow, and let Laila lead her around the neighborhood. It was still dark outside because the sun had still yet to begin its ascension in the sky, but Eve didn’t mind. She preferred it when it was dark. Not that she had anything to hide, but bright lights irritated her eyes, so she had to have sunglasses on a majority of the day. 

Once the duo returned home, Eve let Laila out into the backyard to play while she went to take a shower. She glanced at the clock as she picked out her clothes for the day. Eve groaned when she saw that it was only 4:00A.M., but smiled when she remembered that Ellie would be coming back to work, and would have to deal with the other new D.I. 

Eve walked into the bathroom, stripped off her robe and pajamas and put them in the dirty clothes hamper, folded her clean clothes on the counter next to her mousse, connected her phone to a Bluetooth speaker, started a Queen playlist, and hopped into the shower. Since she was up so early, Eve allowed herself to take her time going through her shower routine. She got her hair damp, put moisturizing shampoo in, rinsed that out, put moisturizing conditioner in, and let that sit for 5 minutes while she used a lemon scented body wash to get rid of any grim that may have been on her body. Then, she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair, and stepped out of the shower with a navy-blue towel wrapped around her. Eve proceeded to use an old cotton t-shirt to dry her hair somewhat before picking it out, and applying a generous amount of mousse to her curly hair, so that it wouldn’t end up incredibly frizzy by the end of the day. 

Once she was done messing about with her hair, Eve quickly dressed in a black bodysuit blouse, a pair of red skinny jeans, a velvet red blazer, a black studded belt, and a pair of black boots that went up to the middle of her calf. Also, she put on her smartwatch, and her necklace that had an Amethyst (her birthstone) droplet pendant on it. 

Eve made her way out to the living room after letting Laila back inside, and sat on the couch, turning on the tv as she plopped down. She let the tv blare mindlessly as she grabbed _In Cold Blood_ by Truman Capote off the black cherry coffee table. She sat there with Laila’s head in her lap, and read for an hour before she decided that it was finally time to head to CID, and fill out some reports she had been meaning to the week before. 

When Eve arrived, she nodded to P.C. Bob Daniels, who was working the dispatch desk, swiped her ID card, and breathed her way through the anxiety inducing elevator ride. She had been working for about 2 hours when PC Daniels knocked on her open glass office door. 

She looked up at him causing her blue glasses to slide down the bridge of her nose, and she pushed them back up with her finger, "Yes? Did a call come in?” 

Daniels nods, “Yeah. A pheasant farmer says that someone trespassed and siphoned the fuel from the tank of his tractor.” 

She nods, “I’m taking a guess that you want me to pick up Hardy?” 

"I'm not facing that at 7:00A.M.” 

Eve snorts softly, “Okay. Okay. Go. We’ll meet you there. Might stop for coffee on the way there.” 

Daniels nods and makes his way down stairs as Eve grabs her pair of Ray Ban aviator sunglasses that had blue metal frames and black polarized lenses, and her black wool double breasted trench coat that had a hood that has a white and black tartan pattern on the inside. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve parked her black 2002 Bentley Continental GT, which had been a 17th birthday gift from both her dad, outside of a little coffee shop that was across from the Trader’s hotel where D.I. Hardy was staying. She fired off a quick text to him before entering the coffee shop. She winced as the bell above the door dinged causing everyone to look at her. 

The owner nodded towards her, “Morning, Eve.” 

She gives him a flat smile, “Morning.” 

“Your usual?” 

“That, and add a tea as well. Please?” 

“Be right up.” 

The bell dinged behind Eve, and she didn’t have to turn around to know that it was D.I. Hardy. She could practically smell the tiredness from where she stood. 

She hands him a napkin as he comes to stand on her right side, “Morning. I ordered you a tea.” 

He nodded, and Eve rolled her eyes at the lack of thank you, but she’d had a week to adjust to his lack of social skills. 

An iced coffee and a tea were placed in front of Eve, and the owner smiled, “Order up.” 

Eve gave him proper smile as she paid him for the drinks, "Thank you!” She handed the cup of tea to D.I. Hardy, and led him to her car. 

She looks over at him as he buckles himself, “Did Daniels tell you what we’re investigating?” 

“No idea. It had better be good for seven in the morning,” he answers gruffly causing Eve to smirk as she starts the car. She decided not to tell him that they were investigating stolen fuel from a tractor. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was squatting down next to some cut barbed wire, and examining it as if it would give any clues to the person who has trespassed. In fact, she was the only one besides the farmer that was taking it seriously. She had even jumped the barbed wire fence herself to see how easy it was. 

She looked behind her when she heard the farmer ask D.I. Hardy, “You wanna see this or not?” The farmer nodded to the fence, “That’s where they cut to get in. Siphoned the whole bloody tank.” 

D.I Hardy pocketed his notebook with a minute nod, “We’ll be in touch.” 

Eve pushed herself up with her hands on her knees, and began to follow D.I. Hardy back to her car. 

“Is that it?” the farmer asked incredulously. 

Eve turned to him with a fake smile, “We’ll do all that we can, sir. It will take a bit of time though.” 

“What about forensics? I can’t afford this, the price of diesel.” 

Daniels began to follow after the detective duo. D.I. Hardy looked at him tiredly, “You call us at seven in the morning for that?” 

Daniels smirks, “Too good for it, are you? Just got a call. Coast Guard just reported something down by the shore.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When they got to the beach, the uniformed officers were in the process of surrounding the area in caution tape. Eve froze for a moment when she was able to make out the body of Daniel Latimer, lying face down in the sand. She gulped before shutting off her emotions, and continuing forwards with D.I. Hardy behind her. 

However, he soon stopped short of the body, muttering, “Oh god... don’t do this to me.” 

Eve turned to him in concern, “Alright, Alec?” 

He snaps out of it, and continues forwards. Eve clears her throat, “Daniel Latimer. Eleven.” 

“Oh, gosh, no, no, no,” Eve turned to see Ellie coming towards them. 

Alec on the other hand didn’t realize who she was, and began ordering, “Off the beach.” 

Eve grabs his arm gently, “No, she’s police.” 

Ellie handed Alec her badge, “Oh gosh. I know him, so does Eve. He lives here. He has tea at my house, he’s my boy’s best friend. Oh gosh, Beth. Does Beth know?” 

Eve shakes her head no as Alec says, “Calm down, DS Miller.” 

“No, you don’t understand. I know that boy.” 

“Shut it off. Be professional.” 

“Shut it off?” 

“You’re working a case now,” he told her before holding out a hand. “Alec Hardy.” 

“I know. You got my job.” 

Eve can’t help the snort that escapes her nose. Alec looks at Ellie exasperatedly, “Really? You want to do that now?” 

Eve rolled her eyes, “Oh, shut up the both of you.” She was ignored by Ellie; however. 

“You don’t even know who he is!” 

“Tell me.” 

“Danny, Daniel Latimer. Eleven years old. Goes to school with my boy, Tom. Eve babysat a few times when he was younger. His family live here, his Dad’s a local plumber,” Ellie explains. 

“Is this a suicide spot?” Alec asked. 

“He wouldn’t do that,” Ellie argued. 

“DI Smith?” 

Eve blinked in surprise when she was brought into the conversation before gesturing around her, “No. One three miles west, the other further inland.” 

“He’s not that type of kid,” Ellie repeated. 

“Find out where SOCO is. We have to move fast or that tide’ll be in,” Alec commented before looking beyond Eve's shoulder. “Oh god, who’s that?” 

The two women turned to see Beth running towards them, and both immediately darted forwards. 

Eve holds out her hands placatingly, “Beth. Listen to me. This is a crime scene. You can’t be here. You have to get off the beach.” 

“What is it? What have you found?” Beth asked hurriedly. 

“Gary!” Ellie called for one of the uniformed officers as the two women tried to hold Beth back. 

“Let me see, let me see!” 

“You can’t be here.” 

“Come on, come on, come on, get off the beach,” Alec told her as him and two other officers restrained her. 

‘Those are Danny’s trainers. Those are Danny’s trainers!” Beth sobbed as they began to drag her away. However, she caught Eve’s blazer sleeve on her right arm causing it to be pulled up to reveal a tattoo that seemed to be of an intricate collage of circles across her wrist. Alec wrapped an arm around Eve’s waist to pull her out of Beth’s reach as she was having trouble getting her clothing free of the distraught woman’s grip. 

“Oh, Ellie! Eve! No! DANNY!” They dragged Beth away as she continued to sob and fight them. 

Eve rubbed a hand down her face as exhaustion washed over her while Alec’s left hand remained on her lower back. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The trio of detectives were walking along the edge of the cliff, where Danny either fell, jumped off, or was pushed from. “They let people walk along here, no safety barriers?” 

“It’s a coastal path. People know the be careful,” Ellie explains. 

Eve shakes her head, “Yeah.” She detours under the caution tape towards the very edge, "But it makes it a lot easier for someone to give into those voices in the back of their head saying ‘Go on. Go on. Do it. Go over. Go on.’ It’s one of humanities most basic instincts, and you don’t even know it’s there.” 

Alec and Ellie stare at the short woman making her way back to them in concern. Once the short redhead is back in her spot between Alec and Ellie, Alec clears his throat, “It’s a death trap.” 

The trio approached Brian, who was their go to man for forensics. Eve claps her hands together expectantly, “Whatcha got for us, Brian?” 

“Well, from what we’ve got up here, ma’am, it’s looking like the rock fall around the body was faked,” Brian explains. 

Eve nods as she had already worked that out, but it was always good to get a confirmation. 

“What do you mean?” Alec asks. 

“Well, the angle of the body was wrong. It was too arranged, and up here, there’s no flattened grass, or slippage-no loose rocks. No fibers, no hand marks, no sense of downward trajectory.” 

“You mean he didn’t fall?” Ellie asks. 

“Could he have jumped?” Alec suggested. 

“That’s unlikely, sir, given where he was found and the trajectory off the cliffs.” 

“See? Not Danny,” Ellie remarks. 

Eve shakes her head, “Not really the time, El.” 

“If you ask me, someone tried to make it look like an accident. I don’t think he was up here,” Brian finished. 

Eve pushes stands of curls out of her face, “Thank you, Brian.” 

The trio begins to walk away, and she looks at her companions, “Beginning to look more like a murder to me.” 

The other two were silent as that same thought was running through their heads. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

The trio walked down a path that led back to where the car was parked. Alec turns to Eve, “Get on to the pathologist, tell him to hurry up, eve in it is just preliminary.” 

Eve nods as she quickly pulls out her phone, dialing the number for the pathologist as they walk across the sand. 

“DI Smith! DS Miller!” the trio looked up to see Ollie Steven running towards them. Eve immediately ducked behind Alec, so that he was between her and Ollie. She didn’t like Ollie all that much. He always seemed to have an ulterior motive, so that he could get a good scoop. 

“Who’s that?” Alec asked curiously. 

“Just keep walking,” Ellie muttered. 

“Evelyn! Ellie!” 

Eve grimaced at the use of her full first name. Her parents had really only used it when she was in trouble, so it always made her feel like she had misbehaved in some way. 

“He seems to know you two,” Alec remarked. 

“Auntie Ellie!” 

“I told you, don’t do that!” Ellie snapped. 

“Ollie Stevens, _Broadchurch Echo_.” 

Eve rolled her eyes as she hung up with the pathologist. Ollie just kept talking, “I was down at the other end, they said you’d be here. Why’s the beach been closed?” 

“No statements now.” 

Eve sneers at him, “So piss off!” 

“Is that any way to talk to you boyfriend?” Ollie smirks. 

Eve grimaces in disgust, “Not in a million years. I’m older than you anyway.” She holds up a hand to stop herself from continuing on that line of thought. “Now isn’t the time, Ollie. Now, get out of our way.” 

“I heard there was a body. Has it been ID’d? Please.” Ollie continues to pester. 

Eve quickly slides into her car with Alec in the passenger seat, and Ellie sitting in the backseat. Eve stuck her head out the rolled down window, and pushed down her sunglasses to give the young man a death glare, “There will be a statement, Oliver. Now go!” 

She rolled up the window before he could get the chance to reply. 

“So, he’s Ellie’s nephew, and your boyfriend?” Alec asked knowingly. 

Eve immediately turns the death glare on him, “He’s not my boyfriend. I haven’t done boyfriends since I was in high school. Left a bitter taste in my mouth.” 

Alec stared at her blankly for a minute before turning to look out the window. That glare could put the fear of God into anyone, and she knew it. She’d learned from the best after all. She got that glare from her dad. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve takes a breath as she parks her car in the driveway of the Latimer family’s house. 

“Are they all in there?” Alec asks. 

Eve nods as Ellie suggests, “Sir, I can lead with the family.” 

“No,” both Eve and Alec say. 

“I know them.” 

“How many deaths like this have you both worked?” Alec asked. 

Eve thinks for a few seconds, “Just one before. I was still a DC then. I was on loan for a week in London.” 

“This is my first,” Ellie answered honestly. 

“You can’t make it better. Don’t try.” 

“You don’t know how I work.” 

“Most likely premise is abduction. Was he taken? If so, who by? Watch them. Every Movement. Anything doesn’t make sense, you tell me.” 

“Ok,” both women reply. Although, Eve seemed more willing to let the Scottish man take the lead than Ellie, who was giving him a dirty look. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Alec warned causing Eve to snort softly as they all got out of the car. 

“I don’t know how you can stand him. Don’t you just want to smack him?” Ellie whispers to Eve. 

Eve shakes her head with a small smile, “I’ve had a week to adjust to him. His skills as a cop are much better than his people skills. I can hardly judge. My copper skills are better than my people skills.” 

Alec knocked on the door, and Mark opened it, shaking Alec’s hand and letting them in like he’d been expecting them. A fact that made Eve’s stomach turn slightly. She pushed her sunglasses up as she crossed the threshold, and they were led into the living room. 

“Morning,” Alec greeted. “I’d Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, you know DI Smith and DS Miller. Why don’t you take a seat, we just need to talk about something?” 

Mark put a hand on Beth’s shoulder,” Yeah, sit down here.” 

“I’ll get a chair,” Ellie suggested. 

“Don’t worry, I can get it,” Alec added. 

Ellie sat down in one of the beige arm chairs, Eve sat ram-rod straight on the arm of said chair, and Alec pulled up a chair from the table on the far side of the room. Eve couldn’t help the look of concern she shot the man to her left as he sat down. It seemed like something had suddenly settled heavily over him. She thought it may have been the fact that this was a discussion that had to be had. Having to tell a family that their loved one had been murdered was never easy. 

“The body of a young boy was found on the beach...” Alec began. 

“It’s Danny, isn’t it? I saw his shoes?” Beth interrupted. 

Mark tried to calm his wife, “Plenty of kids have those shoes.” He turns back to Alec,” Sorry. You talk.” 

Alec hesitated before continuing, “We believe it’s Danny’s body.” 

Liz and Chloe began to cry silently, but Beth began to sob loudly as her entire world shattered around her. Mark forced himself to remain stoic, so that he could continue to comfort Beth. Beth looked at Eve and Ellie, “Who is it, Ellie? Eve? Was it him?” 

With tears welling in her eyes, Ellie nodded minutely. Eve sighed before mumbling an inaudible, “Yes.” 

“Was it an accident?” Beth asked. “Did he fall?” 

“We don’t know yet,” Alec answered. “Can you think of why he might have been up on the cliffs last night or this morning?” 

“He wouldn’t have been,” Beth argued. 

“Well, obviously he was, "Mark told her quietly. 

“He didn’t have any reason to be,” Beth insisted. 

Liz forced herself off the couch to make another pot of tea, and Eve got off the arm of the chair to help the older woman. Liz asked her about Liala while they waited for the kettle to heat up. Eve was happy to offer up any information about dog if it meant that the woman had a small reprieve from the grief now coursing through her. Eve made a little lemon tea off to the side because her tongue didn’t seem to tolerate any other kind. She followed Liz out of the kitchen as the older woman offered tea to the other two detectives before laying the rest out on the coffee table for her family. Eve blew once on her tea a few times to cool it down before letting out a little hum as she took as sip. 

“How was Danny over the past few days?” Alec asked carefully as Eve sat back down on the arm of the chair with her tea resting on her lap. 

“He didn’t kill himself if that’s what your suggesting,” Mark said quickly. 

Eve put up a placating hand, “These are just routine questions. We have to ask them. They help us to know Danny’s behavior on in the hours and days prior to his death.” 

“He’s just been normal... He wouldn’t kill himself. He knows he can talk to us about anything.” 

“And you last saw him when?” Alec asked. 

“I looked in on him... er, about nine o’clock last night,” Beth said. “He was laid in bed reading.” 

“Anyone see Danny this morning?” 

The family all shook their heads as Beth answered, “No. He was up and out before anyone else. He’s got a paper route. He took Laila, that’s Eve’s dog, on it once when she had an early morning. But he didn’t turn up for that. Jack, I spoke to him. He runs the paper shop.” 

“Any signs of forced entry or disturbance around the house?” 

“No, nothing,” Mark answered. 

It was painfully silent for a few moments before Mark said, “I wanna see the body.” 

Beth looked disgusted while Liz and Chloe were shocked. Eve couldn’t blame him though. She’d want to be absolutely sure that it was her loved one. Then...then she might believe it. 

“You might be wrong about it being him,” Mark explained. “So, I wanna be sure. I wanna see.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Back at the Station, Ellie was down in the morgue with Mark showing him Danny’s body. Meanwhile, Upstairs, Alec and Eve were putting together a white board of the evidence they had complied so far. Eve had taken it upon herself to print out picture of Danny, the crime scenes, or pieces of evidence that they were missing, and was sticking them with tape to the board while Alec wrote down information. They worked in silence, but made an efficient team. 

Once the board was finished, they gathered the few CID officers that were unattached to events happening on the weekend. Ellie had returned upstairs just in time for the briefing. 

“Was Danny Latimer abducted? Did someone gain access to the house? If so, how? If it wasn’t forced entry, who has the key? We need to collect CCTV from a mile radius around the house. Miller-family. Who are they and where are they?” Alec lists off a series of questions quickly. 

“Beth had Chloe, their eldest daughter, when she was fifteen,” Ellie began to inform the team. “Mark was seventeen. Mum and daughter were at home watching telly. They say they didn’t leave the house until school the next morning. Dad was out on an emergency call-out. He’s a plumber. He got in around three. Neither parent thought to check on Danny. Gran lives nearby. She was in all evening. The other Gran lives in Wales.” 

Eve and Alec nodded along with the information that was given. Alec took over once again, “Until we’re ready all of this remains confidential. No gossip. Do you understand?” Everyone nodded “Right, go on.” 

The CID officers dispersed once dismissed. 

Eve and Ellie watched Alec walk over to the Chief Superintendent, who said something to him, and they left. 

Ellie followed Eve to her office as the redhead began to organize her desk, which was already covered with the small amount of evidence they had collected. “What do you think they’re talking about?” Ellie asked. 

Eve raised an eyebrow in amusement, “Nosey, are we?” 

“Just curious.” 

Eve smirked, “Ah, yes. What’s the saying? Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back?” 

Ellie sighs, “Just tell me you guess. I know you’ve got one. You know more about what goes on then you let on.” 

Eve shakes her head with a soft smile, “It’s more than likely about the Chief Super not wanting another Sandbrook on their hands.” 

“You trust him not to mess it up this time?” Ellie asks curiously. 

Eve give her a warning look, “Who says he messed up Sandbrook? It was the DS that lost evidence. Not him. I’ve seen the way he works first hand for a week now. There’s no way he was the one that lost evidence.” 

“Oh,” Ellie frowns. 

Eve nods, “Yeah. Oh.” 


	2. Phone Call from Mom

The two female detectives followed them out a few minutes later, and by then their conversation was over and Alec had thrown away a 99 that he didn’t even eat.

“What did Jenkinson want?” Ellie asks as the trio walk down the boardwalk. Eve sends her a  wide-eyed look as they had literally just had this conversation upstairs.

“Jenkinson?” Alec questioned.

“The Chief Super. We saw you walking with her.”

“No.”

“We did, you were having 99’s. Eve said she’d have eaten the one you threw away.”

Eve smacks her  forehead slightly as she was brought into the conversation.

“Miller your son when to school with Danny,” Alec remarks, and Eve is glad for the change of subject.

“So?” Ellie asks not seeing where he was going with this.

“Does he know yet?”

“No,” Ellie answers sadly.

“Eve and I will have to talk to him.”

Eve’s head snaps to look at Alec. That was the first time he’d called her anything other than her last name. She couldn’t help the small smile that crossed her face. It had been a week, and she’d managed to get underneath the wire.

“Tomorrow. I’ll tell him tonight,” Ellie explained. “And do you mind not calling me Miller?”

“Why?” Alec asked in confusion.

“I don’t really like the surname thing. I prefer Ellie,” she explained as if it should’ve been obvious to the man.

“Ellie...Ellie...” Alec tried a few times. “No.”

Eve let out a loud breath of air as the held back a cackle. Ellie and Eve both stopped walking, so that they were behind Alec. Ellie leans over to whisper, "Why does he call you by your first name? He’s just started calling you Eve.”

The redhead shrugs, “Maybe it’s because I’ve known him for a week. He has just met you, Ellie.”

Ellie looks between Eve and Alec suspiciously. “Whatever you say,” she mutters to herself.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

” Jack, we need to ask you a few questions. Danny didn’t turn up for his round this morning?” Ellie asks as Eve takes a slow sip of the ginger ale that she’d bought not five minutes prior.

“I assumed he was sick,” Jack explains.

“Did he miss his round often?” Alec asks.

“They all do, one time or another.”

Eve frowns, “But did Danny miss his often?”

Jack shakes his  head, "No . He was very reliable.”

“How was Danny yesterday?” Ellie asked.

“No different from usual.”

“Did you notice anything on his mind in the last couple of weeks?”

“He was only in here for fifteen minutes first thing. I’m not a psychiatrist.”

“You married?” Alec asked.

“No. Are you?” Jack counters causing Eve to choke slightly on her sip of ginger ale. “They brought him in here, Mark and Beth. Three days old, he was.” He looked at Alec, “It’s not right.”

Eve couldn’t help the curious look she gave Alec as they walked out of the shop, “Are you married? I haven’t seen any ladies hanging off your shoulder, so I think it’s safe to assume that you’re not, yeah?”

“No,” he replies shortly, and Eve nods. Not married then.

The trio got in the car, and were off to meet with the coroner for the results of the autopsy.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

” What do you have?” Alec asks as he begins to flip through the report.

“Um...superficial cuts and bruises to the face, traces of domestic cleaning fluid on the skin. Cause of death was  asphyxiation ,” Dr. Lovegood, the pathologist, explains.

Eve winces as a hand comes up to rub at her throat as Ellie asks, “He was strangled?”

He nodded. “Bruising to the neck and the windpipe and at the top of the spine. Patterns of bruising suggest large hands, I’d suggest a male. It um...it would have been brutal. The angle suggests he would’ve been facing his attacker. He would’ve known.”

“He would’ve known who was attacking him. He saw them?” Eve asks  curiously .

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Any sexual violence?” Alec asks the question they were all dreading to bring up. Eve takes a deep breath as a chill runs up her spine.

“Mercifully, no.”

“Time of death?”

“I’d put it between 10 P.M. Thursday night and 4 A.M. Friday morning.”

“Thank you,” Alec and Eve said in unions. The trio shook hands with the pathologist, and started to leave.

“We don’t get these around here,” Dr. Lovegood spoke up. He looks at Alec, “Make sure you find them.”

Alec nods before leaving the room with two other detectives close behind.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The three detectives, Beth, Mark, and Liz stood in the kitchen of the Latimer House. “We have some preliminary findings,” Alec said. “We are treating Danny’s death as suspicious.

Beth let out a shaky  breath ,” Oh ...”

“We think he may have been killed,” he continued.

“I should’ve checked on him before I went to  bed," Beth lamented to them. “If I’d checked...”

“Beth, this is not your fault,” Ellie cut in. “Whatever happened, it’s not down to you.”

Alec and Eve shared a look before Alec said, “I promise...we will find the person responsible. You have my word.”

“Oh, my god,” Beth cried.

“You have my word.”

“He’s just a little boy,” Beth sobbed.

Mark began to comfort Beth as the detectives excused themselves, and left the family to grieve.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sighed heavily as she pulled up into a spot at the gas station. Ellie had gotten out to grab some snacks for herself and Eve, which left the redhead in the company of the grumpy scot.

“Are you alright?” Alec asks.

Eve looks at him over her sunglasses, “Yeah. It’s just a little harder when its someone you know.” She quickly holds up her hands, “Not that I can’t handle it. Please, don’t think that. It’s just... different. I don’t know.” She shakes her head before gesturing outside, “Feel free to stretch those long legs of yours. I’m going to.” She then got out of the car with Alec following after her, and leaning against the hood.

She looks out of the side of her glasses at him, “What made you come to Broadchurch?”

He looked at her for a long moment, “Penance.”

Her mouth drops open a little as she hadn’t  expected him to actually indulge her. “For...” She trails off looking around, “...for Sandbrook?”

He nods minutely. 

She smiles sadly as she places a hand on his shoulder, “I know it wasn’t you.”

He looks at her with a raised eyebrow, “How? Who told you?”

She snorts, “No one. I’m not the youngest detective at CID for nothing.”

Alec let out a little chuckle at that before making a hurry up gesture to Ellie, who was on her phone, through the window. Eve giggles as she pushes the driver’s seat up again, so that Ellie can get in the backseat. Once they are all back in the car, Ellie hands the redhead a packet of M&M minis. Eve and Ellie happily eat on their way back to CID while Alec looks out the window with an exasperated look on his face.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec and Eve strode angrily out of the CS office.

“For God’s sake!” Alec’s voice rang loudly through the room. “Bloody Twitter!” These people’s lives have been destroyed, and now are incompetence has made it worse. Think what we have to do to rebuild trust there. Who told the journalist?”

The room was silent for a moment.

“Who. Told. The. Journalist?” Eve hissed.

Ellie, who looked thoroughly chastised, weakly stood up with her hand raised. “I think it might have been me.”

Eve took a deep breath to control her anger, while Alec stared at Ellie in an angry shock, “Your nephew?”

Ellie nodded, “He saw Danny’s sister at the beach. I didn’t tell him anything. I told him not to publish. He’s a little shit. I’ll read the riot act and I’ll explain to the family.”

Alec swallowed, “Go away.” Then, he stepped into his office, and shut the door.

Eve glared at Ellie before jerking her head towards her own office, “Come on.”

Ellie followed the redhead like a little child, who had just been yelled at by their mother, which was ironic considering that Eve was at least 10 years younger than Ellie. Eve shut the door once herself and Ellie were in her office. She pointed to couch  opposite her desk, “Sit.”

Ellie immediately complied. It wasn’t often that she saw Eve mad, but when she was, she had a proclivity for putting the fear of God into people. Especially when she had her sunglasses off. There was something in her eyes that made you listen. 

Eve ran a hand down her face as she paced the office, “What were you thinking?”

“I didn’t tell him anything!” Ellie reiterates. “I told him not to publish.”

Eve looks at Ellie exasperatedly, “You shouldn’t have answered his call. You should’ve known what he wanted after he hounded us at the beach.”

Ellie sighs, “I know. I’m sorry.”

Eve points at herself, “It’s not me you have to apologize to. Now, come on. I believe we have a journalist to give a  bollocking to.” A smile had returned to her face as she grabbed her coat and sunglasses, and swept out of the office, not waiting to see if Ellie was following.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve cracked her neck as she pulled up to the  _ Broadchurch Echo.  _ She turned to Ellie with a smirk, “Watch and learn.”

Ellie couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t fun to be on the receiving end of Eve’s temper, but it was a proper laugh to get to witness someone else a get bollocking. 

Eve tore her glasses off as she stepped into the newsroom, and stalked over to Ollie’s desk. She didn’t say a word as she grabbed his jacket, and dragged him towards Maggie’s office. She stops outside the older woman’s office, “I warned you. I told you there would be a statement. Did you listen? NO!”

Ollie looked at Ellie pleadingly, but he was quickly shoved into Maggie’s office. The older woman smiled at the redhead despite the stormy look on the woman’s face. “Evelyn, what can I do for you, petal?”

Eve turned her glare on the older woman, “You can keep better track of your reporters for one thing! You’ve got a bit of a rogue one on  your hands.” She turns to  Olllie , “Tell Maggie what you did?”

Ollie sighed, "I saw Chloe Latimer leave a stuffed monkey that belonged to Danny at the beach. It doesn’t take much to put two and two together, and figure out that the body at the beach was Danny’s.”

Eve glares at him a little harder, “That’s not all. Cough it up.”

“I tweeted...without your permission.”

“Olly!” Maggie exclaims with a glare at the young man.

Eve holds up a hand, “Oh...it’s worse than that. He’s made our jobs harder because we now have to earn the Latimer family’s trust back. He’s made the  investigation that much harder.”

She turned to Ellie, “Do you mind catching a cab to the Latimer’s? I’d like to escort this idiot to apologize to DI Hardy.”

Ellie nods before hurrying out of the newsroom. The faster she apologized to the Latimer’s, the faster they could earn their trust back. 

Eve grabs Ollie by his collar dragging him out of the building with a laughing Maggie close behind.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

On her phone, Eve watched with Maggie and Ollie looking over her shoulder as she watched Alec’s give his official statement to the press. “This is a short statement   
to confirm that this morning the body of an 11-year-old child was found on Harbour Cliff Beach at Broadchurch. The body was subsequently identified as Daniel Latimer, who lived in the town. We are treating his death as suspicious. Our investigations are continuing and there'll be a full briefing later this evening. We ask the media respect the family's privacy at this time. Thank you.” 

Eve turned to give Ollie an icy glare, “Good going, Idiot.”

Her eyes darted up as she spotted Alec pausing on the stairs. She yanked Ollie out of his seat, and pushed him forwards a little.

“Well, go on,” Maggie spat.

“I was wrong to post that news. I’m sorry,” Ollie apologized.

Maggie banged her fist lightly on the counter of the bar, “I should hang him by the bollocks from the town hall spire. All reporting on this will come through me now. The  _ Echo _ works with the police. I'll... I'll speak to the Latimer family. Give them our apologies.”

Alec looked at Ollie sternly, “Stay out of our way.”

Maggie and Ollie leave after that, and Alec turns to the redhead still sitting at the bar. He jerks his head lightly towards the stairs, “Do you want to come up? Take a breath before the briefing.”

Eve smiles down at her phone before putting it in her jacket pocket, “As much as I’d love to...I have to run home to feed Laila, and take her on a quick walk.”

He nods in understanding before turning to walk upstairs. Eve reaches out to grab the sleeve of his trench coat. He turns around to look at her questioningly. She gives him a soft smile, “Maybe another time, Alec. On me. I’ll bring dinner or something.”

He stares at her for a minute as he thinks it over before nodding, “Right...Okay. Yeah.”

She giggles as she watches him run into the doorframe of the bar before making his way upstairs. Maybe Alec Hardy wasn’t a complete pain in her ass.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Laila happily ate as her owner pulled out a change of clothes for the briefing. 

Eve traded out her black bodysuit blouse for a white one, and took of her red skinny jeans, and put on a pair of black velvet flare pants. She hung her red velvet blazer up, and pulled out her black double lapel tailored coat. She tossed her black mid-calf boots to the corner of the room, and pulled on a pair of black snakeskin strappy heels. 

Eve hurried out of the bedroom to grab Laila’s leash as the dog came running towards her. There walk was much faster than it had been this morning. Just going far enough for Laila to do her  business ( both of them), and then they were walking back to the house. 

Then, she was on her way back to CID pick up a file that she needed for the press briefing. She’s said a quick hello to Ellie when she got there, grabbed the file, left her office, and ended up running into Alec as he tried to sweep into his office to grab a file as well.

Ellie looked up again from where she was checking CCTV as the two of them both squatted down to sort out the redhead’s dropped file. Ellie took notice that they were both dressed in nicer suits, or at least Eve was.

“Different suits?” Ellie asked.

Eve pushed her red hair curls out of her face as Alec stepped into his office to grab his file. “Press conference in ten  minutes,  “Alec explains.

Ellie points to her computer, “Look at this. CCTV from the town center, last night.” The two detective inspectors come over to look over her shoulder. Alec throws his file down on Ellie’s desk as he grabs the back of her chair. Eve clutches the file to her chest as she leans closer to Alec, so that she’s able to see the screen as well. Alec glanced her up and down as he got a whiff of oranges and sea salt. It wasn’t surprising considering her house was by the docks, and she seemed to have a preference towards citrus things. He’d seen her eat two oranges while they had put together the evidence board. Eve on the other hand wasn’t getting anything. She had anosmia, which meant that she had no sense of smell. She’d gotten frequent sinus infections (despite being a part Timelord, which for all intents and purposes was a species that didn’t get sick that easily) when she was younger, and it had permanently ruined the nasal tissue in her nose, rendering her nose blind. 

The trio watched as a boy rode down the middle of the deserted street on a skateboard. Eve frowns, “That’s Danny?”

“It matches his clothes and his height. And that looks like his skateboard. He wasn’t abducted,” Ellie concludes.

“He snuck out,” Alec realizes. “Why? Where was he going? Who was he meeting?” Alec questioned.

“And where’s his skateboard?” Ellie added.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, and another thing. I was checking through the list of belongings recovered from Danny's body and at home and there's no mobile phone,” Ellie explained. “He definitely had one. He and Tom, my son, had the same model, virtually identical.”

“But it isn’t here?” Alec asked as Eve squinted her eyes to see the evidence board across the room.

“No,” Eve confirmed.

“Check with the family,” Alec orders Ellie. “Good.”

Eve nods as she pats Ellie on the shoulder, “Well done.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

CS Jenkinson sat at a long table in front of the mic furthest to the left, "I going to hand over now to our senior investigating officer DI Alec Hardy, and junior investigating officer DI Evelyn Smith.”

Eve had to fight not to cringe at the use of her full name.

“What advise do you have for the people in the town, particularly the parents?” Maggie asked immediately.

“The crime rate in this town is the lowest in all of the country. This is a terrible anomaly...” Alec trailed off for a moment as a young female reporter came through the door, but he saw Eve reading through her file to his right and refocused. “We are in the early moments of what may be  a complex investigation.”

Eve nods in agreement, “We aren’t saying keep your children indoors by any means, but maybe check up on them a little more often. Keep a closer eye on them. Due to the fact that we are so early in the investigation we aren’t sure if this is a one off or could potential be a series. However, we are hoping that nothing like this will happen again.”

“Danny’s life touched many people, and we’ll be looking into all of those connections,” Alec added. “If you or someone you know has any information whatsoever, or has noticed anything strange, please come forward now. Um, I’d urge everyone, don’t hide anything. Because we will find out. If a member of your family, or a friend, or neighbor has been behaving differently in the past days or weeks, please tell the police immediately. There will be no hiding place for Danny’s killer. We will catch whoever did this.”

Eve leaned forward, “Getting justice for this horrible crime depends on the inhabitants of the town cooperating with the police. Please. If you know anything, come forward. Anything helps.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////After the briefing, Alec found Eve leaning against her car with her head resting on her crossed arms that were placed above the door. He placed a hand on her lower back causing her to jump at the unexpected touch. Alec immediately removed his hand, “Sorry. Are you okay?”

Eve sighs dragging her hands down her face, “Yeah. Fine. Just need some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

She smiles patting his arm, “Goodnight, Alec.”

“Goodnight, Evie.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It wasn’t till Eve was cuddled in bed with a sleep mask on her face that her eyes would snap open realizing that Alec had called her a nickname. She didn’t sleep much that night either, which turned out to be a good thing as she got a phone call at 2:00 A.M. from her mother.

She groans as she reaches for her phone on the nightstand, and holds it to her face, “Yeah?”

“Oh! I’ve woken you up. Never mind me. Go back to sleep,” Her mom, Donna, rambles over the phone.

Eve chuckles, "No. It’s fine. I was awake anyway. Sleep hasn’t been working out for me the past few days.”

“Oh... I’m sorry. Have you tried tea? Or a book?”

“Yes, Mom. I’ve tried those before. Never works. Timelord brain and all that. Now, what did you really call me for?”

“I saw you on the television tonight. Your Dad managed to get the tv to pick up the channels that you get down there in Broadchurch. You did wonderful.”

Eve shakes her head with a small smile, “You do realize that was press briefing about a child murder, right?”

“Of course, I did. Super temp, remember?”

Eve smirks, “I know. I get my fast typing speed from you, after all. But... you just wanted to see your little girl.”

“Well, you did brilliantly. Who as that man that looks like your father that was on you left?”

“DI Alec Hardy. My boss. The grumpy one I told you both about last week.”

“Well, he’s very handsome.”

Eve rolls her eyes, “Of course you think that. You just said he looks like Dad.”

“Do you like him?”

“As a boss?”

“No.”

Eve sighs, "I've literally known him for a week. I think it’s a bit too soon to be hearing wedding bells.”

“ So, you do like him?”

Eve was silent for a minute, “I don’t know. I’d need a sign. Also, you do realize that your starting to sound like Grandma.”

“Oh, little one.”

“Mom. It’s fine. It’ll happen if it’s meant to. I’m not  gonna rush it. Got all the time in the world. Literally.”

“Eve. You need to talk about...

“I’m. Not. Talking about it. Not now. Not ever.” Eve takes a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m gonna... try and get some sleep now.”

“Okay, little red. Sleep well. Dream happy dreams.”

Eve smiles tiredly as she suddenly feels very content. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Little one. So does your Dad.”

Eve hangs up, and the phone slips out of her hand and onto her pillow as her eyes slide shut again.


	3. Dreams or Visions of the Future?

_ Eve, Alec, and Ellie were pursuing a  _ _ perp _ _ , who had broken into the beach side cliffs. Eve was hot on the guys tail, but she froze at the shout of pain behind her. She turned around to see Alec collapsed on the ground clutching at his chest. The thought of continuing her chase ended as she sprinted as fast as her feet would carry her back to Alec. She kneeled down beside him as he gasped for air. She loosened his tie as blue and red police lights filled her vision. _

Eve shot up in bed, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily. Laila walked across the bed to lick her owners face in attempt to chase the remnants of the dream away, which would have worked if it had been a dream. Eve knew well enough that she was getting visions of the future. There were times when she hated being time sensitive, and this was one of them. She dreaded the days she got visions of events in people’s future. Especially those closest to her. She felt that information shouldn’t rightly be given to her. It wasn’t her future after all. Well... it was a little because she was there, but she wasn’t the one on the ground in pain.

Eve ran a hand down her face before glancing at the clock, and was relieved that it was 6:00 A.M. It meant that she didn’t have to go back to sleep, and risk going back to that boat dock. 

Her vision resulted in her making a thermos of black tea, which was known to be good for the heart. She set the thermos aside as she made herself an iced coffee, and sipped on it as Laila as breakfast. She jerked as a chill went up her spine. She couldn’t get the sound of that shout out of her head. 

There were things that would haunt you for the rest of your life. One of them, was the first time she’d seen a dead body. She was only a teenager, and it had been an adventure in the  Tardis gone wrong (as they often did), but it was the first time she had actually been around to see the dead body after the damage was done. Blood had been spattered on the walls and ceiling around the body. She’d been the one to find it there after opening a door that probably should’ve remained closed. If she was being honest with herself, sometimes when she opened a door... she saw the body and the blood. She’d never forget it. Eve didn’t think she would forget that shout either. 

She tossed her barely touched iced coffee in the sink, took Laila for her walk, and dressed on autopilot resulting in a much more casual outfit. Eve put on a flower bodysuit with a flowy collar, red velvet flare pants, a black cardigan, and a pair of black ankle boots. She grabbed her sunglasses, and rushed out the door with a thermos of tea clutched tightly in her hands.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Alec to arrive at CID. She’d been waiting for an hour, and her subconscious was starting to get to her. She was about to call him just to make sure that he was in fact still alive when she saw him  approaching the station. That hole didn’t get dug too much deeper though because the black-haired reporter from the press briefing last night came up to her. 

Eve immediately sighed.

“Excuse me, DI Smith?”

Eve glared at her through her sunglasses, “The answers no.”

“I’m Karen White from the Daily Herald-”

“I’m well aware. The answers still no. Now, if you’ll excuse me, here comes DI Hardy, and we have a murder to solve.”

Karen’s eyes seemed to widen as she turned around to hound Alec, whose small smile at the redhead dropped immediately. She introduced herself to him, but he showed no interest despite his reply, “I know. You came to the briefing last night.”

“I wondered if I could buy you a cup of tea?” Karen offered.

Alec turned to her in exasperation, “You're astonishing.”

Karen didn’t seem fazed at all, “Well, if either of you need me. I’m staying at the Trader’s.” 

Eve sneers, “We won’t. Now piss off. We have enough work to do without having to deal with reporters that are only out to get the big headline, so that they can make a few more dollars at the end of the day.”

Karen had the common sense to look chastised, and walked away.

“Quite a bit of temper in such a small body,” Alec remarks as they walked through the doors. “Three  bollockings in two days.”

Eve grimaced, “I don’t have the patience for people that are out to make it about themselves or use it as a way to make money.” She sighed before smiling softly at him. She held out the thermos, “Here. It’s black tea. It’s good for you.”

He looked at her questioningly as if trying to figure out why she had made him tea, but accepted the thermos, taking a sip. He nods, “S’ good.”

Eve smiled wider, “Good. I was afraid it might be no good. I only drink lemon tea myself. More of coffee person, but it has to be iced. I can’t stand hot coffee. You can return that later if you want. I could make you tea tomorrow if you do.”

Awkwardly he nodded as he took another sip. They reached the lift doors, and Eve lifted her ID, so that the scanner could read it. She pressed the button as PC Daniels held out several pieces of paper to Alec, “Sir, for you. You need to get yourself organized up there. It’s Saturday, and the phone lines can’t cope.”

Alec and Eve both rolled their eyes once they were in the elevator. It was never good when the murder investigation was short staffed. 

Ellie was already at her desk, greeting them with a smile, “Morning. We got you coffee.” 

Eve accepted the hot coffee despite the fact that she knew she wouldn’t drink it. Alec, on the other hand, held up the thermos, “I don’t drink coffee.” Then, without another word he walked into his office. 

Ellie grimaced, “Of course you don’t.” She looked at him as he leaned against his desk to look at the two female detectives, “Frank said you were out at the cliffs.”

Alec pulled a piece of paper that was familiar to Eve out of his pocket, “I walked Danny’s paper route thanks to this lovely drawing that Eve left on my desk.” Eve blushed lightly at having her very crude drawing called lovely.” There’s a hut on Briar Cliff.” Eve stiffens as she has flashbacks of the vision she had. “Mile and a half along the coast from where Danny’s body was found. Find out who owns it and the car park below. Collect CCTV from the camera there. How’re we doing on house-to-house?”

Eve scoffs, “More like how many houses have actually been done.”

Ellie winced, “We’ve got five uniformed officers allocated, two probationers, one who can’t drive, and one who’d never taken a statement before until last night.”

Eve pointed to herself, “I took two before I managed to convince myself to actually go home last night and sleep.”

“That’s all they’ve given us?” Alec asked.

“It’s a summer weekend,” Ellie explained. “You’ve got three music festivals and two sporting events within one hundred miles, so all officers are attached to them until Monday.”

“Don’t tell the family,” Alec warns. “Uniforms are moaning they’re having to take calls.”

“Yeah, we’re getting new phone lines put in,” Ellie says pointing to a man on a ladder.

Eve immediately begins shuffling around the room to hide pictures of Danny’s body. Alec walked towards the evidence board, “Clear desk policy end of day, yeah? So, Eve doesn’t kill herself cleaning up after people.”

Eve smiled behind his back as she placed the pictures in their respective drawers at people's desks. “SOCO are working on the beach, it’s going to be a long one. Oh, we’re still going through the Latimer house,” Ellie told him, but glared at his back when he didn’t reply. “Sorry, are you listening?”

“Danny’s skateboard. Danny’s mobile. Priority.” Eve swept around him to write notes on the board. Also, main suspects. You two know this town, who’s the most likely? If the boy was murdered before he was left on the beach, where’s the murder scene?” He looked between the two female detectives, “What’re you both doing now?”

“We’ve managed to find a family liaison officer, I’m  gonna take him over to the  Latimer's . Oh, and Jack Marshall, owns the paper shop, rang in, he said he’d remembered something,” Ellie reported as Alec immediately walked away.

Eve shook her head with a small smile. “Thanks, El!” She called over her shoulder as she ran to catch up with the tall lanky man.

Eve smiles at him as they get into the elevator, “Smith and Hardy. The best detective inspector duo in  Broadchurch .”

Alec raises an eyebrow, “We’re the only detective inspector duo in  Broadchurch .”

She smirks, “Exactly. Makes us the best, doesn’t it?”

Alec shook his head, but Eve could make out the ghost of a smile on his face at her reasoning.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// / 

”I couldn’t stop thinking about him... last night,” Jack begins. “I help run the Sea Brigade. Danny had been coming about eighteen months, on and off. Cheeky lad, but a good heart. It matters, a good heart.”

Eve nodded, “He was a very generous boy.”

“You said you’d remembered something, about seeing Danny,” Alec cut in. Eve blinked slowly at his lack of sentimentality.

“Must’ve been the end of last month, around a quarter to eight on a Wednesday morning. On the road leading up to the cliff tops on the way to Linton Hill. I saw him,” Jack explained.

“What was he doing there?” Eve asked.

“Talking to the postman. Well... not talking. More like arguing. He was quite a way away, but the body language was pretty clear. Then, Danny stormed off. The postman was calling after him.”

“You’re certain it was the postman?” Alec questioned.

“Well... he had a bag and one of those high visibility vests. Who else is  gonna be out that time of morning?” 

Eve points to herself, “Me. Sometimes I sleep in on my days off. Walk Laila a little later than normal. Not that she minds. She just likes a good walk.” Eve shakes her head, “Sorry. Not the point. Jack, could you describe the man for us?”

“Well, he was a long way off. Medium height, short brown hair, I think. It was only after you were in yesterday that I remembered. I should’ve mentioned.”

Eve gives him a small smile, “It’s fine, Jack. You were processing the news. Call if you remember anything else, yeah?”

He nods. “How are your parents? They haven’t been around in a few months.”

Eve nods, “They’re doing just fine. Love to travel as always. Can’t blame them for that. They see me when they can, and I see them when I can. Anyway, take care.”

Jack gives her a little smile as the two detective inspectors walk out of the shop. Eve glances at Alec as they get into her car, “It wouldn’t kill you to lighten up a little. Sentiment can be useful.”

“Not if it gets in the way of core evidence,” He mutters.

Eve rolls her eyes, “Alright, Grumpy. Giving me attitude after I brought you tea.”

He raised an eyebrow at her causing her to raise her own at him as his phone rang. Eve turned away with a giggle. “What?” he asks lowly into the phone causing Eve to snort loudly.

“Grumpy indeed,” she mouths at him causing him to glare at her as he hangs up the phone.

“Trader’s. Becca Fisher supplied Chloe Latimer with cocaine,” Alec tells her. 

“Oh!” Eve exclaims as if she had just made a revelation. A frown quickly takes the place of the smile on Eve’s face. She furrows her eyebrow s lo okin g at Alec  intently. “Why ?” She asked him as if he already knew.

“That’s what we are going to find out, isn’t it?” he points out.

Eve rolls her eyes, but can’t help but get one last tease in, “Yes. It is. I see that now, Grumpy.”

He sighs heavily as he looks out the window. In the driver's seat, Eve puts a fist to her mouth to keep from laughing.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The trio of detectives and Becca Fisher, the owner of the Trader’s Hotel, stood in the lobby. 

“Chloe Latimer says you supplied her with a wrap of cocaine,” Ellie explained to the blonde.

Becca’s eyes widen, “What? You’re kidding.”

Eve raises an eyebrow, “Nice try faking surprise, but you went a little long. Real surprise only lasts for half a second when it comes across the face. So, why would Chloe say that if it wasn’t true?”

Becca sighed as she dropped her surprised act. “There was a couple down from London for a long weekend, in a suite, spending money, and they asked me if I could get them some coke.” She whispered the last bit, glancing at the open door. “Chloe was working for me that weekend, I asked her if she knew where I might find some. She took so bloody long, the couple had gone, I gave it back to her.”

Footsteps approached and a girl with a ponytail walked in. Becca shook her head, “Not now, thanks, Emily.”

“Right...” the girl shut the door.

“Where did Chloe get it from?” Ellie asked.

“She said a friend. She didn’t tell me his name. She said he didn’t deal, but he knew where to get stuff.”

“Did her brother have anything to do with it?” Alec followed up bluntly.

Becca frowned, “It’s... It’s nothing to do with that. Do I get arrested?”

“We will have to process the offense,” Ellie explained.

“Is there any way we could keep this quiet? I could lose my  license .”

Eve shrugs, “Guess you shouldn’t have gotten involved with a Class A drug then.”

Alec shakes his head, “Fix a time to come down to the station, make a formal statement.”

Eve doesn't even realize that a scowl plasters itself to her face, but Ellie notices it. She can't help the smirk that comes over her own face when she realizes that her redheaded friend was falling in love with the grumpy DI, and she didn't even seem to realize it.


	4. Solving Crimes Gnaws on the Soul

Ellie smirked at Eve as she watched the redhead wash her hands in the sink in the women’s restroom. She leans against the counter, “What was that at the Trader’s? You got a bit bitchy with Becca. Even pulled out behavioral science on her.” 

Eve rolls her eyes, “Quite frankly... I don’t like the woman. Something about her rubs me the wrong way.” 

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with the torch you’re carrying for Hardy, would it?” 

Eve froze as she went to exit the restroom with Ellie in tow. She turned to glare at Ellie, “I’m not carrying a torch for him.” 

Eve opens the door, but Ellie quickly pushes it closed again resulting in an indignant noise to rise in the back of the redhead’s throat. Ellie looks at Eve knowingly, “You’ve got to admit that there is a possibility that the two of you fancy each other.” 

Eve just ignores Ellie’s statement, moves the woman out of the way, and opens the restroom door. Heading down the hallway towards the breakroom to escape her best friend, who was playing devil's advocate to the nagging voice in the back of Eve’s mind. 

Eve bit back a groan when she sees Alec in the breakroom already, making himself tea. She forced a smile on her face as she decided to make herself and Ellie, who had followed her into the room, cups of tea. 

“Cocaine though... it must be a one off... They’re not that type of family. Chloe’s not that type of girl,” Ellie comments. 

“Nobody ever is,” Alec replied, reaching behind Eve where she was leaning against the counter with a cup of lemon tea in her hands, to get the sugar for his tea. Unlike last night at the press briefing, she didn’t flinch. 

Eve nods, “If things aren’t going well in your life, it’s natural for humans to turn to something that takes the edge off.” 

Ellie glances at the redhead in concern, “Speaking from experience? I know you don’t have a record of drug abuse. You wouldn’t be here if you did.” 

Eve sighs, “I may not have a record, but let’s just say, I really need to get that bottle of Adderall in my medicine cabinet refilled.” 

Ellie shakes her head, patting the redhead’s shoulder, “We don’t have these problems, though. A couple of arrests for possession every month on the estate, but no more than that.” 

Eve shook her head, “Those are just the ones the police know about. I ‘m sure there’s a whole ring in this town. If only we knew where to look.” 

“Ellie, I think you might wanna take this one,” a woman called from the doorway of the breakroom. Ellie left as Eve let out a deep breath. 

She looked over at Alec as she noticed that he seemed to be rather out of it. Eve pushes off the counter in concern, “Alec? You haven’t gotten a hold of my Adderall, have you?” She tries to joke to calm her own nerves, but that goes out the window when Alec clenches his fist before shoving his cup into her hands. 

Eve stood there frozen, trying to figure out what to do, as Alec rushed to the men’s restroom. She broke out of her stupor when she saw him walking in the direction of his office. She nods determinedly before following after him, and putting both cups of tea on his desk. 

Eve looks at him knowingly, “What was that?” Her voice gives away her concern. 

“Just got a bit dizzy. Didn’t have any breakfast,” He lied, shuffling the files on his desk around. 

Eve leans on his desk with her hands holding her up, “Now, let’s not insult my intelligence, shall we? I think after my episode as the Trader’s you should know I can read people's behavior extremely well. So, you wanna keep lying?” 

She sighs when he doesn’t acknowledge her. Eve circles the desk to grab his face in her hands, forcing him to acknowledge her, forcing him to see the blatant fear in her eyes, “Are you okay? At least answer that one.” 

He sighs as she removes her hands from his face to hold them gently between them, “I’m fine.” He let go of her hand as he stood up, and Eve shivered violently at the loss of warmth. “Smith. Miller. Postman. Come on.” 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“Yeah. That’s my round. Up past Briar cliff,” the brunette man told them. 

“And did you work that route last month?” Ellie asks. 

“I think I’ve done every delivery up there for the last eight or nine weeks, I’d say.” 

“Did you ever see Danny Latimer?” Eve asked despite the fact that she seemed for focused on the garden to their right. 

The man glanced at the garden before giving the redhead a weird look. “Yeah...all the time. He used to deliver papers up there to a couple of houses, including the hut. When I heard, I thought, ‘I’ve only seen him a couple of days previous’.” 

“Did you ever speak to him?” Eve tore her eyes away from the garden to look up in thought. “Particularly the last week in June?” 

“I might’ve waved, maybe said hello. I didn’t really know him to talk to.” 

Eve nodded with a small smile. She could tell this guy wasn’t who they were looking for. The other two were not as easily convinced. 

“That’s it, just hello?” Ellie asked. 

“What else would I say?” 

“You didn’t ever have a conversation with him?” 

The man shook his head, “No.” 

“Or an argument?” Alec probed. 

“What am I gonna be arguing with a paper lad about?” 

“Where were you Thursday night?” Eve asked quietly. 

“Thursday...” The man thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. “I’d have been with the boys. We got hammered. Six of us, there was. Finished at 4:00, my missus woke me up at 7:00, I was out cold.” 

“God! Wish I could sleep like that...” Eve muttered to herself getting a side eye from Alec and Ellie. She cleared her throat before giving the man a smile, “We’re gonna need the names of all those you were with Thursday night.” 

“But I mean, you don’t think I had anything to do with it?” The man asked nervously. 

Eve went to reply, but Ellie quickly cut her off, “Oh, it’s just to rule things out. Nothing to worry about.” The man nodded. “Alright, thanks, Kevin. Bye.” 

“Don’t say that,” Alec remarked as the trio walked away. 

“Don’t say what?” Ellie questioned. 

“No need to worry.” 

“Why not?” 

“Don’t reassure people let them think.” 

The girls both rolled their eyes at that. Ellie glared at him, “Can I just say, you can’t just rock up here and try to mold me. I know what I’m doing and I know how to handle people. And you can keep your broody bullshit shtick to yourself.” 

Eve snorted loudly behind her hand as they got into her car. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Hardy looked up from where he was watching his redheaded partner smack her forehead softly, in an attempt to get some coherent thought that wasn’t lyrics to Queen’s “Tie Your Mother Down” to run through her mind, when Ellie walked in and placed food on his desk in front of him and Eve. 

“What’s that?” He asked as Eve delicately opened her paper package. 

“Thai was closed, Chippie was the only place open,” Ellie explained, sitting on the leather coach in Alec’s office with her own food. 

Eve bit off a piece of a chip as Alec stated, “I can’t eat that.” She looked at him in confusion before looking at the breading on the fish, and realized that it was fried. Fried foods aren’t good for the heart. 

Ellie had no idea though, and looked at him in disbelief, “You don’t eat fish and chips? What kind of a Scot are you?” He didn’t answer, so she shrugged. “It’s all there is. Eat, or be hungry.” 

Eve sends him an apologetic look as she eats another chip. He began to pick at his own food, “Postman’s alibi was confirmed, four times. He was with his mates all night; the night Danny was killed.” 

“So, Jack Marshall got it wrong then?” Ellie guessed. 

“Do we have any reason to disbelieve the postman?” Alec asked in thought as Eve shook her head slightly. “How’s Marshall’s eyesight? Does he have any reason to lie? And do we think that the money and the drugs found at the house are connected? Is that cash to supply the cocaine?” 

“You know you do this incessant list thing? Bam-bam-bam-bam, so no one's got a chance to reply. I think Eve’s ADHD riddled brain is the only one that can keep up with the list. It's like you really enjoy it.” 

He paused looking at Eve for confirmation, “Do I?” 

She nods with amusement written clear on her face, “Yeah. You do. I’ll put up with you anyway. Don’t worry.” 

“Can I eat my dinner please?” Ellie cut in. 

They ate in silence for a few moments before Alec asked, “First murder, how are you both finding it?” 

Eve quickly shrugs, “Not my first. I find it... exhausting though.” 

Ellie grimaced as she looked down, “Grim.” 

“What did you make of Mark and Beth’s list?” he asked. 

She sighed, “Heartbreaking. Some of their best friends, Danny’s teachers, babysitters, neighbors. They’re traumatized, not thinking straight.” 

Eve scoffed, “Or brilliant. I’ve got list of people that have bones to pick with me. If I was murdered, and was a ghost...I would for sure name names.” 

“That’s a bit dark. Even for you, Eve.” Ellie comments. 

Eve shrugs, “I’m sorry. I don’t care who you are. Nobody is getting away with murder in this little seaside town. Not while I’m here.” 

Alec nodded, “Eve’s right. We never asked for a list. Maybe they’re trying to direct where we look. Taking focus from their household.” 

Eve clapped her hands, pointed at him, and gave Ellie a victorious look, “See! He gets it.” 

Ellie glares at both of them, “They didn’t kill Danny.” 

Alec sighed, “You have to learn not to trust.” 

“Oh, oh, right,” Ellie started. “That’s what you’ve been sent to teach us. The benefit of your experience.” 

“Look at your community from the outside.” 

“I can’t be outside of it, and I don’t want to be.” 

“If you can’t be objective, you’re not the right fit.” 

Eve’s eyes widen at the insult to Ellie’s abilities as a detective. Although, she hated to admit it, but he had a point. 

“No, I am the right fit,” Ellie snapped. “It's you who's not. Taking promotions meant for other people, not accepting coffee or a bag of chips without a great big sigh.” She looked at Eve, who was very subtly shaking her head with wide eyes, and took a humbling sigh as she remembered who she was talking to. “Sorry...Sir.” 

“You need to understand, Miller,” Alec said quietly. “Anybody’s capable of murder given the right circumstances.” 

“Most people have moral compasses,” Ellie argues. 

“Compasses break,” the two detective inspectors remark in tandem. 

Alec glanced at the redhead, who suddenly look like she was somewhere far away in her mind. “Murder gnaws at the soul. Whoever did it will reveal themselves, sooner or later. No killer behaves normally over time. You know the people here. Look for the out of the ordinary. Follow your instincts.” 

“My instincts tell me that the Latimer’s did not kill their son,” Ellie states firmly. 

Eve nods giving Alec a sad smile, “As much as I wish we had a lead, I have to agree with her on this.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve stretched her neck as she gripped the railing in the elevator that she found herself in with Alec. 

He stares at her, and she looks at him in confusion, "What? Did I get bread crumbs on my shirt?” She glances down at herself because she tended to make a mess of herself when she ate. 

“You got quiet when we brought up that moral compasses break,” he comments. 

She sighs, "I've seen it too many times.” Eve looks at him sadly, "We were going on and on about how murder gnaws at the soul, but I’ve seen solving murders do it just as much.” 

“Does it gnaw at yours?” 

Eve snorts softly, "That is the question isn’t it?” She looks at her feet, “This one is. I knew Danny. I babysat him. Helped him with homework. I don’t to fail him.” 

As the elevator door opens, she sniffs quickly, and sends Alec a blinding smile. He can tell its fake; put on just for him. “See you tomorrow, Alec.” She turns around as she reaches the front door of CID, “Oh, and if you bring that tumbler to my house in the morning, I just might have a tea ready.” 

He stands in the lobby, watching her get into her car, and whispers, “Goodnight, Evie. You deserve it.” 


	5. Wounded Confidence

Eve was resting her eyes on the couch before she had to force herself to wake up and go to work. The lack of sleep was beginning to wear on her, and no amount of Laila’s gentle nudges was going to interrupt her small nap. She was sleeping quite peacefully too until her doorbell rang. 

Eve popped an eye open before getting off the couch with a grumble. She pulled the door open to reveal Alec. Her face seemed to brighten at the sight of the grumpy man, but it still did nothing for the dark circles felt at home under her eyes. 

She quickly grabbed her keys, a travel mug of iced coffee, and a travel mug of black tea before ushering the man towards her car; sending a quick goodbye to Laila as she shut the front door. 

Eve handed Alec the travel mug that was full of black tea, “Good morning, grumpy. Where are we off to the morning?”

“The hut up on Briar Cliff,” Alec answered before taking a sip of the tea as Eve adjusted the  rear-view mirror.

Eve clapper her hand excitedly, “That’ll be my first time up there.”

“Really?”

She hums as she pulls out of her driveway. “Yeah. It’s a pretty popular make out spot.”

Alec couldn’t help the small smile that made  its way onto his face, “Never had a reason to go up there?”

Eve scoffs, “I don’t go hanging off the shoulders of men if that’s what you're asking. Haven’t even been in a relationship in a long time. Contrary to what Ellie believe, I am perfectly content to sit at home on a Friday night.” She shakes her head before nodding to the travel mug, “You can keep that if you want. Just bring it by in the morning, and I’ll fill it for you. I’ve got plenty of them.”

He nods, “It’s good tea.”

Eve beams at him, “That’s good. I’ve never really been into tea. Always preferred iced coffee to be honest.”

Alec glanced at the redhead, who was now putting on a pair of sunglasses with one hand, “Sun bothering you?”

Eve giggles, “Always has. My eyes are rather photosensitive. Bright light gives me headaches. Can’t smell anything either. Anosmia.”

Alec looks at her in mild surprise, “Really?”

She snorts, “Yeah. Can’t smell a thing. Well... that’s not exactly true. I can smell things if they are literally right under my nose, but other than that? Nothing.”

Alec shakes his head, “You are aware that Ellie calls you her alien friend, right?”

A nod, “Yeah. I don’t mind. I am a bit... different, but it doesn’t bother me.”

The fell into a comfortable silence after that, and if Alec kept sneaking glances at the redhead out of the corner of his eye then so be it. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Alec walked side by side down the paved road of the caravan park towards Susan Wright’s caravan. Eve lightly knocked on the door of the caravan resulting in a dog beginning to bark loudly from inside. 

The two detective inspectors shared a look as a woman yelled, “Quiet!” from inside before the door opened to reveal a blonde woman. 

“Hello again,” Alec greeted.

Eve sent him a confused look as Susan asked, “What do you want?”

In tandem, the detectives took out their badges. “DI Alec Hardy and DI Evelyn Smith, Wessex Police,” Alec introduced.

Susan seemed to tense, “What’s it about?”

“Anthony Ryan, who owns the hut up on Briar Cliff, said you had the keys.”

“I clean it.”

“He said he’d phone ahead and let you know to have the keys ready.”

“My phone’s dead.”

Eve eyes narrowed slightly at that.

“Well, we need the keys. Just want a look inside the place.”

“Why?”

“Routine.”

“Is it about that boy?”

Eve cleared her throat, “We’re not  allowed to speculate with the public. We’ll have the keys back as soon as were done.”

“Show me those IDs again.”

Eve rolled her eyes, but pulled out her ID with Alec nonetheless.

“You’ll have to sign for them. I don’t want any trouble if you don’t come back.”

“Sure,” Alec agrees.

While Alec signs for the keys, Eve surveys the area around the caravan park. It’s not far from the beach at all. It’s entirely possible that someone saw something the night Danny died.

The sound of a door shutting has Eve looking over her shoulder to see Alec waling over to hand PC Daniels the keys to the hut, “Let us know if there’s anything interesting.”

Daniels nods as Alec walks back over to Eve, who look properly irked at this point. The redhead gestures towards the caravan, “I don’t like her.”

Alec smirks, “She certainly seemed to dampen  your natural optimism.”

Eve scoffs, “I don’t very much care for hostile people.”

“ Your detective,” Alec points out. 

“Makes me good at picking up on people’s behavior. There was something off about her. Surely you noticed too.”

“Well, yeah, but we needed her to cooperate.”

“Ah, I see. Mr. Grumpy  is only polite when the need arises.”

“Oh, shut up.”

Eve cackled.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Miller, Evelyn!”

Eve rolled her eyes at the use of her full first name.  ** Pay back for Mr. Grumpy, I suppose ** . She sighed as she stood up and met Alec and Ellie in his office. The redhead leaned against the doorway, “What could Mr. Grumpy possibly want?”

“Stop calling me that,” Alec grumbled. 

She rolled her eyes, “Seriously, though. What?”

With his glasses perched on his nose, Alec turned back to his computer screen, “CCTV from the car park below the hut.” 

Eve and Ellie watched over his shoulder. Well...Ellie did. Eve seemed to have trouble pulling her focus away from how... handsome Alec looked with his glasses on. She shook her head of those thought to focus in on the grainy image of a man leaning against his van. Eve frowned as Ellie remarked, “Mark Latimer.”

“Is this the night Danny snuck out?” Eve asked softly.

Alec nodded as he took off his glasses and leaned against his desk on his elbows.

“He said he was out on a call. What’s he doing?” Ellie asked.

“Waiting for someone,” Alec answered as if it was obvious. 

Eve hummed as she leaned on Alec’s desk, and their faces were inches from each other. “Who though?”

“How do you know?” Ellie asked still not wanting to believe that Mark has lied about his alibi.

“I don’t, but I bet I’m right,” Alec grunted. The screen went dark, which pulled a whine from Eve as she pressed a few buttons on the keyboard to see if there was anything else on the tape. “Tapes run out. Is there another one?”

Ellie looked in a box that had contained the original tape, but it was empty, “No. They just use on tape and rerecord over it, to save money.”

Alec smacked his desk, “Bollocks!”

Eve patted his shoulder lightly as an employee from the phone company came to the doorway of Alec’s office, “Sorry?”

The three detectives looked up at the tall man with short dark hair and glasses. “Are you done?” Ellie asked.

The man shook his head, “No, no, it's not that. It’s Danny Latimer you’re doing, isn’t it?”

All three detectives became suspicious of him. “Why?” Alec asked as Eve’s hand dropped off his shoulder to hang limp at her side.

The man shuffled  awkwardly , “It’s to do with water.”

“What are you saying?” Alec asked in confusion.

“I’ve been told it’s something to do with water.”

“Told by who?”

The man averted his eyes, “I... I have, erm... I have this thing were I... I get – get messages...Psychic messages.”

Eve rolled her eyes as Alec’s patience finally waned, “Oh, for God’s sake, who let you in?”

The man reared up defensively, “No, the thing about the water, that’s important. Don’t just ignore it.”

Eve scoffed, “It’s almost like he was found, oh I don’t know... on the beach... by the water.”

“I’m glad to see you're not letting your fancy education get in the way of your ignorance.

Eve’s face fell, and she looked down as that familiar feeling of not being good enough came over her. She’d  constantly had to put up with what her grandmother had thought of her, and despite that had found a career that she loved. Maybe she wasn’t as good at it as she thought she was.

Alec sneered at the man, “Oh, Come on, out!”

“It’s something that I’m supposed to tell you,” the man insisted as if he hadn’t just deeply discredited all the confidence that Eve had in her ability to do her job. “Like, he was, he was in a boat. Like he was... he was put in a boat. I don’t... I don’t know why.”

** Probably to put his body on the beach since the rock fall was faked.  ** Eve thought to herself, but didn’t dare speak out loud lest she  elicit another insult thrown her way.

“And who told you this?” Alec asked expectantly in a very irritated tone. “Where did you get this from?”

He paused, “Danny.”

Eve finally looked up in annoyance at that.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Three thoroughly annoyed detectives sat across from the phone company employee. 

“And please state your address for the tape,” Ellie directed him.

“57 Whitney Road, Lewiston,” the man stated as Eve copied down the info into her journal.

“Where is that?” Ellie asked.

“Erm, it's about thirty miles from here,” he answered. “I cover the full region for the company.” There was the scratching of Eve’s pen, which seemed to have a sort of emitter at the top, as the man spoke.

“And you’re saying Danny Latimer wants us to know that he was put on a boat before he died,” Alec summarized.

“Yes.”

“Did the message happen before or after you were sent to install extra phone lines here?” Ellie asked.

The man went to answer, but Eve held up her right hand, which was holding tightly onto the futuristic looking pen, “Better question, did this “message” occur before or after you caught glimpses of crime scene photos?”

He narrowed his eyes at her, but Eve held his gaze with as small smirk and her pen at the ready to jot down whatever came out of his mouth. “After,” he admitted as the pen scratched against paper again.

Alec scoffed from his seat to Eve’s left, "Amazing. I love this – the phone engineer who hears voices from the dead.”

The man looks at him offended, “I don’t want this. It comes to me. Look, you don’t want to listen, that’s fine.”

Alec laughed humorous less, “Oh, you’re a reluctant psychic?” His face hardened, “A child has died, and you come in here with your self-indulgent horseshit.”

Ellie glanced at the angry man and the woman who was clearly trying to get back at the man for wounding her confidence, but kept her calm, “Did you ever meet Danny Latimer?”

The man shook his head, “No, never.”

Eve shook her head as she jotted that down.

“D’you know the family?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Do you have any evidence relating to the death of Danny Latimer?”

“No,” the man said quietly.

Eve shut her notebook at Ellie shut off the tape, “Interview terminated at 6:17 P.M.”

Alec stared at the man across the table, “You know what happens around a murder, Mr. Connelly? A whole industry grows up, of groupies, and rubberneckers, and people who want to touch the case. You’re just the first. Don’t let me see you around here again. Get him out.” He had stood up and was making his way toward the door of the interrogation room when Mr. Connelly spoke up.

“She says she forgives you.”

Alec turned to look at the man in confusion along with the two female detectives.

“About the pendant.” Then, he turned to look Eve right in the eyes, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”

Eve played off her haunted look a lot better than Alec did as she just gave the man another eye roll before escaping to the hallway as fast as was possible. Alec was ranting away when the door closed behind the trio, “Every big case, these people come crawling out of the woodwork.”

“What did he mean about the pendant, and that you can run, but not hide?” Ellie asked. “Do either of you know?”

The two detective inspectors ignored her questions. Eve; however, knew the answer to both, and she was most assuredly going to keep her mouth shut about them both. Alec, well... he just went on with his angry rant, “He has the bloody nerve to come in our office!” He turns to Ellie, “Check his details, find out who he is. Rule him out, just to be sure.”

Ellie watched as both detective inspectors broke off from her to grab their coats from their offices. “What are you two going to do now?”

“Mark Latimer lied to us about where he was that night,” Alec muttered. 

Eve patted Ellie’s arm, “I’m his chauffer. Good luck with Connelly.” 

Ellie watched at the redhead hurried to keep up with the taller man’s long strides, and shook her head fondly.  ** They’ll be together before the case is through. **

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec led Eve and Mark out into the Latimer’s backyard, “Erm, Thursday night, the night Danny went missing, where were you?”

Eve tore her attention away from the garden that Beth has been growing as Mark gave his wife a smile before answering, “On a call-out. Call came through... I  dunno , early evening, about half six. Whole family’s system had packed in, you know?” Eve nodded as she wrote that down in her journal with a note took look up plumbing terms. 

Alec was jotting it down in his notes as well, “How long did that take?”

“Most of the night,” Mark replied, “It was a nightmare boiler, so I was there pretty late.”

Eve sighed sadly as Alec corrected, “No. There was no call out. We have CCTV footage of the car park at the top of Briar Cliff. You were there at 7:30.”

Mark tried to play it off, “Err, so you’re snooping on me now.”

“Well, checking CCTV in the area. Now, what did you do that night?”

“What am I, a suspect?” Mark deflected.

“The first thing we do is eliminate people from the investigation,” Alec explained. “Tell us where you were, who you were with, how long for, we can eliminate you from suspicion. It’s entirely methodical. You don’t give us those facts; we can’t eliminate you. And if we can’t eliminate you, you’re a person of interest.”

Mark let out a breath of disbelief, “In the murder of my own son?”

Eve nodded, “Just tell us what we need to know, which I’m sure is very straight forward, and we can be on our way without having to throw more  suspicion on you.” 

“I err...” Mark thought for a moment, “I met a mate. You know, we drove off together, and then he dropped me back at the car park and err... I came home.”

“What time?” Alec asked.

“Three or four in the morning, maybe?”

Alec nodded as he and Eve jotted that down. “What’s your mate’s name?”

“I can’t remember,” Mark admitted quietly.

Eve looked up in confusion. Even when she as  piss drunk, which wasn’t all that often considering she was designated driver most of the time due to her  proclivity for passing out, she could at least remember who the hell she went out with. Then again, she really only ever went out with Ellie, Beth, or Maggie, so she supposed she couldn’t really be a judge of that when she literally only had three friends. Well... four if she counted Alec, but she’d never gone out to the pub with him.

Alec narrowed his eyes at Mark, “Sorry? You can’t remember the name of your friend? Where did you go?”

Mark shifted uncomfortably, “I think we just had a drive around. Bite to eat. Bit of a drink.”

“You think?” Alec’s voice rose a bit. “This was three days ago.”

“Yeah, and a  lots happened since then,” Mark justified.

While Eve was jotting this all down in her journal, Alec caught Mark glancing back at Beth, “And is there any reason you wouldn’t want to tell me the name of your mate? This is only about who killed Danny.”

“Um...” Mark trailed off. “It’ll come back to me. I’m just knackered. I haven’t been sleeping, you know, all the stuff on the news. Head’s not straight.”

That had Eve narrowing her eyes in suspicion. She hadn’t slept in three days. Well... she had, but not well. She kept having the same dream about Alec having a heart attack. However, she could at least keep her head on straight, or at least she could for now. She had a feeling that going two weeks without sleep wasn’t going to do her any favors because that was usually the point when her father finally decided to get some sleep due to his mind not working nearly as well as it did when he was rested. 

“When you came in, you went straight to bed,” Alec asked.

“Yeah.”

Alec looked at him expectantly, “Can you wife confirm what time you came back?”

“No. She was asleep.”

Alec and Eve shared a look. 

“Mark, who you met – it’s a big gap in your recollection,” Alec’s phone rang, and he stepped away to answer it while Eve tried to help Mark remember who he had been with. “What?”

_ “I’m at the hut,”  _ Ellie answered. “ _ SOCO think  _ _ it's _ _ where Danny was killed. We found his prints and some blood.” _

_ “ _ Right, anything else?” Alec asked, sneaking glances at Mark, who was very obviously trying to flirt with Eve, who was paying him no attention in favor of continuing to ask him about everyone he knew in the town.

“ _ Yeah, the whole place has been cleaned,” _ she told him. “ _ But we’ve also found another set of prints by the sink. I messaged them through to run a match against elimination prints. They belong to Mark Latimer.” _

Alec’s gaze snapped to where Eve was writing away in her journal, completely oblivious to Mark, who had looked up to lock eyes with Alec once the man had shifted his eyes away from making sure the redhead was till safe to him.


	6. The Start of a Long Day

Eve stood on the top of Briar Cliff overlooking the beach. She shivered as the cold night breeze blew by her. She was beginning to wish she had brought her coat instead of just deciding to wear a light blue puffy vest over a long sleeve Henley. Although, she was glad for the fleece lined leggings she had put on as well as the faux fur lined Doc Martens. She pushed her blue tortoise shell glasses up to rub at her tired eyes. Eve had managed an hour nap before she’d had to come out to the crime scene at the hut. 

She looked to her left at the crunching of grass to find Alec walking over to join her at the cliff side. Eve smiled, “Sorry, Grumpy. I didn’t bring any tea with me.” 

He smirked lightly, “It’s fine, Evelyn.” 

Eve opened her mouth to argue against the use of her full first name, but decided that she liked the way it rolled off of his tongue, and shut it quickly. She shivered again as another breeze rolled through. 

Alec noticed her shiver, pulled off his coat, and draped it over her shoulders. Eve giggled softly at his generousness before she quickly covered her mouth, and gave him a fond warning look. “We’re at a crime scene and you’re making me giggle like a school girl. Very inappropriate, DI Hardy.” 

He opened his mouth to respond, but the rustling of a plastic bag caught both their attention as Ellie walked up towards them. Ellie looked at them, “Am I too rustly?” The woman handed Alec a thermos. “Well, its freezing. Long weekend working, big day ahead. I thought a thermos would help.” 

“It doesn’t make sense,” Alec stated. 

“What?” Ellie asked. 

“The body found at the bottom of Habour Cliff. Why move him there? Why not just throw him off here? Perfectly good cliff to chuck a body over.” 

Eve gently smacks the back of her hand against his upper arm and lets it rest there as a thought came to her, “If they knew Danny then they may not have wanted to damage his body more than they already had by strangling him? Would you chuck a body off a cliff if you cared about it?” 

“Can you both please not talk about it like that?” Ellie begged. 

Eve nodded, “Sorry. After you’ve worked a few murders, you become sort of desensitized to it.” 

“Any boats gone missing recently?” Alec asked. 

Ellie thinks for a moment, “A boat would leave no tracks. You could row it up, leave the body, and the evidence would be washed away.” 

Eve grimaces as she pulls out her phone, “I’ll check if there have been any stolen boats recently.” 

“What time’s Mark Latimer coming in?” Alec questioned taking a sip of the tea. 

“Nine. Sir, I can’t believe he’s capable of this. There’s any number of reasons why his prints could be in that hut,” Ellie argued. 

Eve frowned, “True, and I don’t want to believe he did it either. However, until we know those reasons and if any of them can be attached to him. He’s a person of interest. We can’t ignore evidence, El.” 

“You need to look at the evidence in front of you, and stop behaving like you’re his bloody solicitor,” Alec grumbled before turning towards where Eve’s black Bentley was parked, “Come on, Evelyn.” 

Eve gave the back of Alec’s head an annoyed look while Ellie giggled. The redhead quickly pointed at Ellie, “Shut up.” 

Ellie holds up her hands, “I said nothing.” 

“You were thinking it.” 

Ellie leans in closer to Eve, “You let him get away with calling you Evelyn. You don’t even let your parents call you Evelyn.” 

Eve glances at Alec, who was waiting patiently by her car. “What of it?” 

“I think you know, but don’t wanna have it ripped away from you again.” 

Eve tensed, “El, you know about me. I can’t... El, I can’t let myself fall in love and lose someone again. People around me tend to get burned, badly.” 

Ellie smiled sadly, “Sweetheart, you are an outstanding detective. I’ve seen it firsthand. More than that, you are probably the bravest person I know. However, the bravest thing you will ever do, if you allow yourself to, is... love again.” 

Eve sighed heavily, “I’ll think about it, okay?” 

Ellie nods, “All I ask.” 

“See ya,” Eve mutters before walking over to her car and mentally preparing herself for what was about the be the quietest drive in her entire life. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve woke up several hours later to a gently shaking of her shoulder, and she bolted straight up in her office chair, “Who was murdered?” 

Ellie blinks at the redhead, “I’m choosing to ignore that, and inform you that it’s 8:30, and you are still have your puffy vest on as well as a coat.” 

Eve groaned, “Oh god. I’ve been asleep the whole time.” 

There’s a pat on her shoulder, “It’s fine. It happens.” 

Eve stands up to shed the coat and vest, but pauses when she looks down at the black trench coat that she was wearing, and her brain full on short circuited. She was still wearing Alec’s coat. He’d never even made an attempt to get it back, and she’d gone and fallen asleep with it on. More than that, she’d actually been able to sleep for a few hours and not be woken by visions of Alec having a heart attack. 

Eve quickly shed the coat, and handed it to Ellie, “Give this back to Alec will you. I suspect he’s forgotten he gave it to me.” 

Ellie just smirks, and makes her way to Alec’s office. Meanwhile, Eve has a mental breakdown as she trades her puffy vest of a black velvet blazer. The universe really was laughing at her. Of course, of course she’d be able to sleep with just the slightest bit of Alec’s presence around. People didn’t realize that the items they use, touch, or wear the most pick up a bit of their essence. Alec wore that trench coat all the time, or at least enough for it to smell like him, which was really saying something considering that Eve didn’t have the best sense of smell and that was being generous. She’d had an arm under her nose while her head rested on her hand, pinning it to the desk, and she’d got the slightest hint cinnamon, and she’d been on her way to a peaceful sleep. 

Eve forced a smile on her face as she poked her head in Alec’s office to find him alone, “Sorry about keeping your coat. It was rather comfy though.” 

He looks up from the file he was reading, “It’s fine, borrow it any time.” 

A real smile came over Eve’s face as Ellie came up to poke her head into Alec’s office as well. “We’re all here, ready when you are, Sir,” She said referring to the briefing we were going to have before interrogation Mark. 

“You do it,” Alec told her causing a snort to come from Eve. 

Ellie quickly shakes her head, “I can’t. I’ve never done it. Eve’s always done it.” 

Alec just walked out of his office, “In you go.” 

Ellie turned to Eve with wide eyes, and the redhead just smile encouragingly, “You’ll be fine. You’ve seen me do with plenty of times, and I have worse social anxiety than you.” 

Ellie nods think back to the numerous times she’d walked in on Eve rehearsing a briefing. Eve patted her arm gently before going to stand on Alec’s left as he leaned against the edge of the whiteboard. 

Ellie nervously took her place up front, “Good morning.” 

“Morning,” the room chorused, but Ellie heard a very cocky one come from Eve. 

“I’m uh... welcome. I’m Ellie, DS Miller.” She looked over to see Eve shaking her head with a big smile on her face. “Uh...so...we’ve got a lot to get through, um, and we’re already behind because of the weekend and not having resources. Which are here now, which are you. So... um... so you know, we just need to... to hit the ground running.” She looked at Eve, who nodded encouragingly with a small giggle. “Right, priorities today. House-to-house enquires, uh, CCTV retrieval, technical data retrieval from phones, and, uh, alibi follow ups. On top of that we’ve had a lot of information in, so we need to sift through that. Okay, thank you.” 

Chatter started up throughout the room as everyone went to do their own thing. Eve had followed Alec to the breakroom, and began making an iced coffee for the redhead and Ellie, and a tea for himself. Alec scooted the coffee in Ellie’s direction as she came up to them looking thoroughly annoyed,” Very inspiring.” 

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” Ellie snapped, resulting in a snort from Eve as she sipped at her coffee. “What, because I’m not running to arrest Mark Latimer, I get thrown to the lions? Not only that, but you got Red over there to along with it?” 

Eve held up her hand, “You had to learn sometime, El.” 

“Hey, you didn’t mention how we can all discount Mark Latimer, or you own, exhaustive list of suspects,” Alec pointed out. 

“Don’t harangue me! Gosh, you such a...” Ellie trailed off. 

Eve, being the same rank as Alec, wasn’t afraid to finish that sentence, “Jackass?” Ellie looked at Eve with wide eyes while Alec looked at her knowingly. Eve shrugged, “What? You are one from time to time. We were both one right now for making her do that.” 

Alec just shook his head, and turned back to Ellie, “We need to interview your son. He should have an appropriate adult with him, not you obviously. Relative, maybe? Larimer's downstairs. We should start.” 

Ellie opened her mouth to argue, but Eve just patted her shoulder, “He’s a jackass. I know.” 

Ellie sighed as she followed after jackass and red. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Sorry about yesterday afternoon,” Mark said, trying to kick off his interview on a good note. “What with everything, I was a little hazy when you two asked me all those questions.” 

Alec wasn’t buying what he was selling though, “It’s more the fact that you tried to lie.” 

Mark remained as feigningly innocent as he had been the previous day, “I was just confused, I suppose. All the days blending into one, you know. The boiler that I said I’d done, that was Wednesday night. You know how it is.” As he spoke, he was looking more at Ellie and Eve. Although, when he looked at Eve, it was more at her chest, which wasn’t small by any means. 

Eve looked up from her journal, “No. I don’t. Being a detective, I know how important an alibi is.” 

Mark gulped. 

“And Thursday night, you were with a mate,” Alec questioned. 

Mark nodded, “I was, yeah.” 

Alec didn’t try to hide his skepticism, “But yesterday, you could not remember their name.” 

“It was Nige, who I work with.” 

Eve froze as she wrote that down, and looked at Mark in confusion. 

“So, you couldn’t remember the name of the man you work with all day?” 

Mark gave a one-sided shrug, “Just the shock, I suppose, doing funny things.” 

Eve scoffed as she set down her futuristic pen. Ellie squirmed excitedly in her chair. She’d been through enough interviews with Eve to know that it was never good for the suspect when that pen was set down. 

Eve folded her hands together on the table, “Mark. Let me tell you a story. When I was a DC in Metro, I worked with this DI that I couldn’t stand. Hated her guts. Her name was Emma Sawyer. Well, one night she invited me out for drinks at the pub after we’d closed a case, and I got blackout drunk, which was okay cause Sawyer was the designated driver. Well... later the next day, I ended up in an interrogation room being accused of a murder that had happened that night about a block from the pub. Do you think that even for a second, hungover and stressed out of my mind, that I forgot the name of the person I worked with every day for a year? No.” 

Mark had gone progressively white throughout Eve’s story. 

Ellie opened her mouth, but Eve held up a hand, “I’m not done.” 

“Now, there is such a thing a dissociative amnesia, which can be triggered by emotional stress, and you wouldn’t be able to recall information about traumatic event.” 

Mark perked up, “That must be it.” 

Eve smirked, “You wouldn’t forget Nige’s name though. Not if you worked with him every day, and he had nothing do with the trauma.” 

Mark didn’t reply. 

Eve gestured for Ellie to speak as she picked back up her pen, “We’ll check with Nige.” 

Mark nodded, now at more ease with her than Eve, “Yeah, you do that, El.” 

“It’s DS Miller to you in here, Mark,” Eve corrected without even glancing at him. 

Alec sighed as he reached into a file, and slid a photo of the hut on Briar Cliff across the table for Mark to look at, “You know where this is?” 

He peered at it, “Yeah, that’s the rental place on Briar Cliff, isn’t it?” 

“Ever been there?” 

“Yeah, I was there a weekend or two back. It was a burst pipe.” 

Ellie shuffled in her seat, “When you say a weekend or two...” 

“I dunno, three at the outside. Nicky, who does our paperwork for us, she’d have the exact date on the old invoice. She’s away with the kids this week though.” 

“If it’s a rental property, who called you out?” Alec asked. 

Mark shrugged, “I dunno. This woman. I can’t remember her name. I picked up the keys from her at the caravan park.” 

“Just you and your mate, Nige?” 

Mark shook his head, “No, just me. It was an emergency call-out. They were all worried about getting the place flooded or something. Nige was away with his mum.” 

Alec nodded before looking at the note Eve had underlined in her journal, “Mark, do you own a boat?” 

“Yeah.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“A boat, prints at the murder scene and an alibi made up overnight,” Alec listed off as he led Eve and Ellie back into the bullpen, “Ask Pete what Mark told Beth about Thursday night. See if it marries up, and while we check, Mark stays here.” 

Eve nodded as she sent off a text to Pete. 

“Do you know what it’d do to the family, the town, if it was Mark?” Ellie asked. 

Alec looked back at her, “What are you looking for, Miller, an easy answer to this? The least pain? It won’t work like that.” 

“I know,” Ellie insisted. 

“Do you?” Alec asked. “Really?” 

He headed off to his office, and shut the door leaving the two women in each other company. Eve smirked, “He really is excelling himself at being a jackass today.” 

Ellie nodded, “Did something happen yesterday?” 

Eve thinks back, “Not that I can think of. Maybe he’s just in a mood from a lack of sleep.” 

Ellie shrugs before glancing at Eve curiously, “How did you know Mark was lying about not remembering who he was with?” 

Eve makes a one-sided shrug imitation, “He shrugged with only one shoulder. It’s a clear sign that someone has no confidence in what they just told you.” 

Ellie nodded before walking off to her desk, and Eve knocked lightly on Alec’s office door. He gestured for her to come in. She came in and sat down on the leather couch after closing the door again, “What’s got you in a mood? You’ve been a jackass since we spoke to Mark yesterday.” 

Now that she was paying attention, Eve didn’t miss the way Alec’s jaw clenched at the mention of Mark. She frowned, “You don’t like him, do you?” 

“No,” Alec answered shortly. 

Eve glanced at the window behind her and the glass door before getting up to shut them all, and sat back down with her elbows on her knees. “Am I only going to get short answers today? Cause I’ll leave you be if I am.” 

Alec relaxes, “He was flirting with you yesterday.” 

Eve’s eyebrows rose, “He was?” 

Alec looks at her with mild surprise, “How could you not notice? He wasn’t being subtle. Then, today he couldn’t stop staring at your chest.” 

Eve sat back with a small smile, “Well, he’s out of luck cause for one he’s married, and two... I’ve had my eyes elsewhere.” 

Alec tensed as he watched the redhead open the shades up again, and go to leave his office before she paused. She turned to him with a fond smile, “I’ll bring you that dinner tonight. We’ve got a few things to talk about, I think.” 

Alec nodded, but he had a small miniscule smile on his face as he went back to work. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The three detectives boarded a boat to go out into the docks to locate Mark’s boat. Ellie sat in the front while Eve and Alec sat in the back behind the Harbour Master. 

Eve sent Alec a questioning glance when she noticed how uncomfortable he seemed to be on the boat. He just nodded that he was alright. 

Ellie pointed to a white and yellow boat, “There it is, Mark’s boat.” She caught sight of Alec clinging to the boat, “Are you alright?” 

“Don’t like being on the water.” 

“We’re barely on it,” Ellie commented. 

Eve chuckled as she patted Alec’s leg, “Just don’t vomit on me.” She got up to help Ellie pull the boat closer. She wasn’t even wearing a life jacket unlike the other three occupants of the harbour master boat. 

Eve went to get on Mark’s boat, and had to pause with one foot on both boat when Mark’s rocked with the addition of her weight. Ellie went to help her as Alec let go of the boat to make a grab at her as well, but Eve stopped both of them when she held out both hands out to balance out the weight. She then leaned over to grab onto Mark’s boat, and lifted her other foot off of the harbour master boat and onto Mark’s. 

Eve let out a shakey breath, “I’m suddenly remembering why me and boats don’t mix.” She went to help Alec onto the boat, but he shook his head. 

“It only needs one, minimize the risk of contaminating the crime scene.” 

Eve gave him a knowing look. 

“Go on.” 

Eve rolled her eyes. **Chicken shit.** She turned around, and pulled on a pair of vinyl gloves before moving the blue tarp out the way, so that she could see what was on the boat. 

“Can you tell you tell when it was last taken out?” Alec asked behind her. 

She sent him a sarcastic look over her shoulder, “If you got on the boat you could find out yourself, DI Hardy.” 

Alec looked away, “You’re doing fine.” 

“That’s what I thought.” 

As she turned back towards the cabin of the boat, Eve caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of her eye. She turned to the edge of the boat to find a small splatter of blood. “Shit,” she muttered lowering her head for a second before lifting it to look Alec straight in the eyes, “Splatter of blood.” 

Ellie could see the blood perfectly from where she was standing at the front of the boat. Alec had to lean against the edge of Mark’s boat to get a look at it himself as Eve pulled out a sample tube, a cotton swab, and an evidence bag out of her grey wool duster coat to collect a sample of the blood for testing. 


	7. One Heart or Two?

After the blood sample had been handed off for testing, and pictures were taken of Mark’s boat, the detectives were off to talk to Susan Wright at the caravan park. 

Ellie had her blue and yellow dot umbrella up, and Eve had a slightly larger umbrella that was black on the outside, but on the inside had Van Gogh’s  _ The Starry Night.  _ It covered Eve completely, and partly covered Alec, who didn’t seem to mind getting wet from the rain. 

A boy skateboarded past them, which made Eve think about Danny and Tom, who could both  skateboards . She’d taught them how. 

“Hiya,” Ellie said to a girl in a pink coat. “Morning,” She greeted two kids with a football. “Hey,  gonna give me a header? Go on, on my head, I’m ready,” Ellie tried to encourage them into playing with her. “Fine,” She sighed when they didn’t do anything.

Eve smiled sadly.  ** Must be missing Tom and Fred. ** ****

“You overcompensate,” Alec told her bluntly.

“I know,” Ellie admitted as Eve knocked on the door of the caravan. 

“Hello?” Ellie said as Susan opened the door.

“You woke the dog.”

Eve perked up the mention of a dog, “Our apologies.” She caught the small shake of Alec’s head, and wiped the excited smile off her face.

“You caught ‘ em yet? Those kids  ain’t safe out there.” Susan asked.

“Was it Mark Latimer that fixed a burst pipe up at the hut on Briar Cliff a few weekends ago?” Ellie asked, ignoring Susan’s question.

“Not to my memory,” Susan answered. Alec took out his notebook to take note of that, and Eve shifted in order to make her umbrella covered more of him, so that his notes weren’t ruined by the water. Also, it meant that they were  shoulder to shoulder. Well... head to shoulder because Eve was so much shorted than him.

“He told us he got the keys from you,” Eve clarified. “You made DI Hardy sign for them, so you most likely had Mark sign for them when he came to get them.”

“No,” Susan denied making Eve frown.

“Are you sure about that?” Ellie questioned.

“We never had a burst pipe up there.”

“When did you last clean up there?” Alec asks.

“Ten days ago. There’s been no one in  there sense.”

“Who else has the keys?”

“Me and the owners. That’s it.”

“We’re treating it as a possible crime scene.”

“I see.”

“We’ll send someone to do elimination prints,” Ellie told her.

“We finished?” Susan asked impatiently causing Eve to wince. She didn’t like feeling rushed.

“Yes, Ma’am we have. Have a nice day,” Eve forced a gentle tone. 

Susan shut the door, and Eve sneered, “That woman really irks me.”

Ellie doesn’t look at all surprised, “I think you like the  thought of her dog more than her.”

Eve smiles, “I love dogs. They lower the risk of heart disease, you know?”

Alec tenses beside her while Ellie chuckles, “Of course you would look up the benefits of dogs.”

“Always have a dog, El. Dogs are good.”

“ So, you’ve told me a billion times.”

Eve smiles at her over the roof of her car, “I’ll tell you a billion more times because dogs  are... ”

“Good. Yeah, I got it,” Ellie cut her off. It was always better to beat Eve to the punch when it came to dogs or she could go on for hours.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Alec and Eve stood with Nige by the garage of him and his mother’s house while Ellie spoke with Nige’s mum. 

“Yeah. I was with Mark pretty much all night,” Nige agrees. “We met up, had a drive, a bite to eat.”

Eve nodded as she and Alec both jotted that down. 

“Do you see him a lot socially?” Alec asked.

“On and off.”

“So, it would be weird if he completely forgot your name?” Eve questioned.

“I would think so, yeah.”

“Interesting,” Eve commented as she wrote it down and underlined it.

Nige tensed when he realized that had been the wrong thing to say. 

“Where did you meet him that night?” Alec asked.

“The car park by Briar Cliff,” Nige answered quickly. He’d answered everything quickly like he’d rehearsed it. Eve would know, she rattled of information at briefings quickly because she’d run throughout at least ten times prior to the actual briefing. 

“Why there?”

“Just  convenient .”

“How? It isn’t near either of your houses,” Eve pointed out. 

“It’s a good place to leave one vehicle instead of leaving in two.”

“What time did you get home?” Alec questioned.

“One- ish . I dunno, I didn’t really check.”

Eve pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“What did you do till one?”

“Drinking, chatting, bite to eat.”

“Where did you eat?”

“Pub in the Vale.”

“Name?”

“The Fox.”

“What did you eat?”

“Chips and um... and a pie.” Nige paused to think before smiling, “A steak pie.”

Alec scratched his head with the tip of his pen, which made Eve look at him weirdly due to the fact that he had pretty much scribbled on his scalp by doing so. Not that you could see it through his hair, but still. “One- ish ? A lot of places open that late around here?”

“We get lock-in as The Fox,” Nige explained.

“Ah, so they’ll remember you when we talk to them?”

“I would’ve thought so, yeah.”

“Ok.”

“Ok.”

Alec glanced at Eve’s journal  where she’d noted that his responses seemed very rehearsed. “Anything you want to revisit in what you’ve just told me?”

Nige thought about it before shaking his head, “I don’t think so, no.”

Ellie came walking up to them, “Nige, you want to stop pissing about? Your mum just said you were with her all night till 10:30, then you went round the corner for last orders and not with Mark.”

Alec let out a breath through his mouth as he put his notebook back in his pocket, and Eve jotted down the new information that Ellie had said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“Since we talked earlier, we checked up on a few things,” Alec told Mark. “Number one, the woman who holds the keys to the hut on Briar Cliff... has no memory of you fixing a burst pipe.”

Mark sighed and rubbed his face, “That’s bollocks. I got the keys from her, I fixed it, I took ‘ em back. She has a caravan. She has a dog.”

“She says not.”

“Well, she’s lying.”

Eve scoffs, “Yeah, she  ain’t the only one.” She gestures for Alec to go on to the next point.

“Number two. Your alibi is rubbish. You’re mate Nige is not a good liar.”

“He’s not lying, I was with him.”

“Let’s not insult each other's intelligence,” Alec remarks. “You son has been killed, so I’m at a bit of a loss as to why you would mislead us.”

“Why’d you lie, Mark?” Ellie asked. 

Alec holds up a hand, “Wait, Miller, I haven’t done point three.” He shifts through reports on Mark’s boat, “Point three. We had a look at your boat, and there’s bloodstains in it. Whose blood’s in that boat, Mark?”

“Dan’s,” Mark answers quietly. “We took the boat out the week before last. When we had that hot spell. It was me, Danny, and Chloe, fishing about a mile offshore. We caught three sea bass, we took them back and barbecued them. Danny was messing around on deck, he caught the... He caught the end of a line in the bottom of his foot and gashed it open. He was hopping around and yelling and screaming. Chloe was there, so you can ask her.”

Eve’s hardened exterior that she put on for interrogations softened a little, “We will.”

“Why are you lying about where you were on Thursday night?” Alec asks.

“How’s this helping find Danny’s killer?” Mark asks, irritated.

“We can’t rule you out till we know where you were.”

“Everything’s becoming part of this,  ain’t it?” Mark snaps. “it’s got nothing to do with this.”

“Everything counts now, who did what, who was where,” Alec explained calmly. “Everything connects and feeds this case. If we don’t get the truth, we won’t find who killed Danny. That starts with you. Just tell us about Thursday.”

“I’ve already told you, haven’t I?” Mark shouts. “I told you about the hut, and now you’re saying I’m lying and I’m not.”

Alec leans back in his chair, “Mark, my son dies, I’d tell the police everything, I just would. Why did you ask Nigel to invent a false alibi?”

Mark shook his head, rubbing his face again, “I  dunno . Everything I say is getting twisted. I can’t think straight.”

Alec shuts the file he’d been looking through, “Alright. Mark Latimer, I’m arresting you for obstructing a murder inquiry.”

Ellie looks at him in alarm as Eve just shuts her journal, “Sir!”

“Hush, Miller. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense in court if you do not mention, when questioned, something that you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

Mark looks at Ellie, “This is what you two do, El?”

“Just tell us the truth,” Ellie pleaded.

“Miller, take his things,” Alec orders as he and Eve leave the room.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve adjusted the camera after Tom and Joe had given their names for the recording, so that it focused solely on Tom. She sat down in the chair to Alec’s left, and gave him a nod to start while she opened her journal. 

“So, you last saw Danny when?” Alec asked.

“Before we went on holiday,” Tom answered.

“When was that?”

“Three and a half weeks ago,” Joe answered for Tom.

Eve’s eyes shot up as a very dark thought entered her mind. Joe’s eyes met hers, and she quickly went back to her journal as Alec said, “Let Tom speak.”

“Sorry,” Joe apologized.

“Three and half weeks ago,” Tom continues. “We went on the Thursday morning. I saw him the afternoon before.”

“What time?”

“Straight after school.”

“And where were you?”

“He came round, we went to the lido.”

Eve smiled at Tom, “I love the lido.”

Tom smiled back as some of his nervousness melted away. He’d known Eve since he was little as a result of her and his mum being best friends. She’d always been a very calming presence in his life. He watched her glance at her notes, “Did Danny have his phone on him?”

Tom shrugged, “Don’t know.”

“But Danny had a phone? Did he say he was worried about anything?” Alec asked.

“No.”

“Did you argue?”

“No.”

“Can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt Danny?” Eve asked gently. 

Tom didn’t say anything. 

“How did he get on with his Dad?” Alec asked.

Tom was silent again.

Eve opened her mouth, but she couldn’t help the small smile that came to her face when Alec beat her to the punch. “Anything that you say here is completely confidential.”

“He said his Dad hit him,” Tom admitted.

“Once?”

“Maybe twice.”

“Recently?”

Tom shrugged with a shake of his head, “I don’t know. He said his dad got in bad moods sometimes.”

Alec turned to Eve to see if she had any more questions, but she shook her head. “Alright. You can go. Thank you both for your time.” He led Joe and Tom out of the room as Eve turned off the camera. Eve missed the way Joe watched her as he was led passed the window. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was  rewatching Tom’s interview when there was a knock on her office door. She paused the video and looked to see Alec, and quickly gestured for him to come in. He just stuck his head in, “I have to go do something  real quick, can you hold down the fort till I get back?”

Eve smirked, “I did it pretty well before you got here, Alec. I think I can handle it.”

He chuckled before looking at her seriously, “Are we still on?”

Eve nodded, “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good. Good,” he said before closing her office door leaving her to glace nervously at her coat where a stethoscope was tucked into one of the inside breast pockets.  ** I’m really  ** ** gonna ** ** do this.  **

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“You’re the last person I expected a call from.”

“You’re the first friendly face I’ve seen in months,” Alec told the older man sitting next to him by the beach. That wasn’t completely true. Eve has slowly wormed her way in his heart.

The man laughed, “If I’m a friendly face, God knows what the rest of them are like...”

Alec groaned, “Oh, you have no idea. It is another world.”

The man looked around at the unpopulated walk of beach, “It’s a bit cloak and dagger, Alec, meeting out here. What’s wrong with the office?”

“Small town, everyone’s eyes on you. Don’t like it.”

The other nodded and coughed awkwardly, “I uh... went through all the results you sent me.”

“So?”

“It’s not good, Alec.”

“No,” Alec agreed.

“You’ve got to change all this. No stress, no pressure, nothing that’ll cause  unnecessary exertion.”

“I can’t,” Alec insisted.

“You have to,” the other man argued. “If you don’t... you’ll end up dead.”

Alec scoffed, “Ah, you bloody doctors! Always, ‘Do as I say, or you’ll end up dead.’”

“I’m serious! Look, I’ll make sure all the paper work gets filled in. You can  invalided out.”

Alec shook his  head, "Not till I’m done here.”

The man looked at him with amused disbelief, “You like it that much?”

Alec grimaced, “No, I hate it. I hate the air, I hate the sand, I hate the stupid people, I hate the way they work, I hate their bloody smiley bloody faces, I hate the  never-ending sky.”

“Well, why be here at all?”

It was silent between them as Alec leaned his elbows on his knees, “... it’s penance, or it was.”

“What? No... Really?”

“Really.”

“What is it now?”

Alec just  gives him look.

The man’s eyes widen in disbelief, “A woman? You?”

“Oi.”

“She must be one hell of a woman. What’s her name?”

“Evelyn, but she prefers Eve. She’s...” Alec’s phone ringing interrupts him. He glances at it.  _ Becca Fisher is here. She was with Mark that night. ~ Evelyn _

_ //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// _

Becca sighed, “Thursday night, Mark Latimer was with me. We met at the car park and drove off. We were together till about one. Then, I dropped him off back at the car park.”

“What were you doing?” Ellie asked. 

“Really?” Becca gave them an annoyed look, “Having sex.” She could see the judgements that the three detectives had made of her. “I know. Worst decision of my life.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Why did you tell us you were with Becca Fisher on Thursday night?” Ellie asked.

“Why do you think, El?” Mark asked her. “You know this town. If that got out...”

Alec stared at the man, “You let us pursue this because you were worried about gossip?”

Mark glared at him, “No, not the gossip. Lives, mate. My family, her business. You don’t understand, you haven’t lived here. You don’t know how these things stick.”

Eve didn’t seem at all sympathetic, “Guess you should’ve thought of that before you stuck your penis in another woman’s vagina, huh? Or better yet maybe you shouldn’t stare at my breasts while in the middle of an interrogation.”

Mark had the decency to look ashamed, “Don’t tell Beth. I haven’t done anything like this before, I swear.”

“With her?” Ellie questioned. 

Mark shook his head, “Not with anyone. I mean, I’ve had chances, but I’ve never done anything before this. We’re tired though, you know? I saw a chance of something else and I took it.”

“This has only ever been about Danny’s killer. Why wouldn’t tell us?”

Mark began to cry, “Because I’m ashamed,  innit ? The one time I took him for granted and that’s when I lost him and it... Please don’t tell Beth. Please.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve caught Alec before he could make his way to Ellie’s desk, “Just a question that’s been bothering me. Do vows mean nothing to you people?” 

Alec looked at her in shock, “I’d like to think that they mean something to certain men.” 

“Do they mean something to you?”

Alec sighed, “Yes.”

Eve looks sizes him up and down before nodding as if she’d found the right thing. 

“We done?” Alec asks.

Eve gestures for him to continue on his way, and followed him to Ellie desk. He dropped a file on her desk, “ Reconstruction, Thursday night, one week on. Your boy Tom, he should do it.”

Ellie looked at him in surprise, “What?” She shook her head, “No. I don’t want him to.”

“He’s the best choice,” Alec pointed out.

“Did you not hear me? He’s lost his best friend, that could traumatize him.”

“Maybe he should be allowed to decide,” Alec suggested.

Eve nodded,” Yeah. Always made me feel like a bit of a grown up when my parents let me have a bit of choice.”

“I’m his mom, I decide, “Ellie insisted.

Alec gave her a look, “So, your commitment to this investigation stops outside these doors?”

Ellie glared at him, “Sir, move away from me now, or I will piss in a cup and throw it at you.”

Eve got a mischievous look on her face, “I’ll pay you 100 pounds to see you do that.”

Alec glared at her before turning back to Ellie, “Talk to... what’s  your husband's name?”

“Joe,” Eve whispered.

“Joe. Talk to him about it, and Tom.”

Ellie looked at her desk with her fists clenched, “You’re both invited for dinner.”

Eve beamed, “Ding dong! Okay!”

Alec looked taken aback, “What?”

“Pick a night,” Ellie ground out.

“At your house? Why?”

Ellie gave him a look, “Do you know many people here?”

“No.”

“Are you living off hotel food?”

He paused, trying to think of an excuse to get out of dinner. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Don’t be an asshole about it. I don’t really want to do it either, but it's what people do, and for once Eve won’t be alone on the other side of the table.”

“Is it?”

Ellie nodded, “They have their bosses round and don’t have to talk about work.”

“What will we talk about?”

Eve snorted as she rubbed her eyes under her glasses.

“I don’t know!” Ellie huffed. “Just say yes.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. 

“Thank you. Bloody hell!” Ellie said as Alec walked away leaving Eve leaning against her desk. “Knob,” Ellie muttered causing Eve to cackle as she walked back to her office to grab her coat.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec and Eve walked into the Trader’s very late into the night, and Eve had a bag of takeout in her hand. As they made of the stairs; however, it became apparent that Karen had been waiting up for Alec. 

“What time do you call this?” She asked, getting up quickly. 

“No,” Alec said trying to get Eve to go up the stairs faster.

“Come on. Five minutes,” Karen goaded him. “Couple of quotes, tell me where you’ve been, what you’ve been up to.”

Alec glared at her, “After what you did to me last time?”

“Legitimate investigation,” she defended.

Eve watched as Alec got in the other woman’s face. “You turned me over. You will never have anything out of me as long as I am breathing.”

Karen glared at him, “You let that family down. I sat with them after the trial. They still don’t have closure because of you and I won’t let you do that to another family.”

Alec shook his head, and made his way up the stair to his room. Eve made to follow him, but Karen caught her arm. Eve quickly wrenched her arm out of the woman’s  hand, "You won’t get anything from me either. The only journalist I give exclusives to is Maggie, and you little Miss are most assuredly not of her  caliber .”

Karen gaped at the redhead as she made her way to Alec’s room. 

Once in the room, Eve banged the back of her head against the door, “Have I mentioned how much I hate journalists that aren’t Maggie?”

Alec smirked as he took of his tie, “Maybe not in so many words, but you  definitely show it enough.”

Eve sat the bag of food on the bed, and  looked at Alec nervously.

“What?” He asked.

She gulped, “Before... we talk about anything there’s something I need to tell you. Well... maybe show you. Depends on how open minded you are.”

“You’re not making sense, Evelyn.”

She winces, “Yeah. I do that when I haven’t rehearsed. Anyway... I’m  gonna tell you now cause,” tears welled up in her eyes, “You may not like me afterwards.”

“How bad is it?” Alec asks quietly.

Eve smiles, “It’s not bad, or I mean it might be. Kinda depends on your definition.”

Alec gently takes her hand and tugs till she’s sitting on the bed, “Just tell me.”

Eve lets out a  shaky breath, “I’m an alien. Well... half alien.”

Alec looks at her in confusion, “What’s bad about one of your  parents being from another country?”

Eve sighed as she looked at her hands, which she was wringing in her lap “Should’ve seen that one coming. Ellie said the same thing.” She looked up at Alec, “When I say alien. I mean like the kind from outer space.”

Alec stared at her as if she’d grown another head, “Are you okay?”

Eve rolled her eyes as she pulled the stethoscope out of her coat, and handed the ear pieces to him, “Put those in.”

He looked really confused now, “Why?”

“Just do it. Humans have one heart, yeah?” She asked him rhetorically as he did as she asked. 

“Yeah. Basic biology.”

“Exactly,” Eve said as she placed the bell on the left side of her chest. 

He looked at her expectantly, “One heart.”

Eve smirked, “Oh? Really? Are you sure?” Then, she moved the bell to the right side of her chest. She watched him startle so badly that he fell off the side of the bed. Her eyes widened, “Alec!”

Eve leaned over the side of the bed to  see him staring at her with wide eyes, “I’m attracted to an alien?”

Eve giggled, “Yeah, Grumpy. You are.” 

He sits up on the floor, “What are you?”

“Like species?”

He nods.

“Well, half human. Half Timelord.”

“Timelord?”

Eve nods as she helps him back onto the bed, and hands him the takeout container containing his salad, “I know a bit pompous, but that is what they’re called. It means I can pretty much see time.”

“See time?’

“Everything that was, everything that is, and everything that could be. Everything outside of my own timeline that is. I’m not allowed to see my own future.”

He nods, “How many Timelords are there?” Alec immediately  regrets his question as he  watches Eve’s face fall.

She looks at him sadly, “Well... there’s my Dad and me.”

Alec looks at her in confusion, “I don’t understand.”

“Until I came around... my Dad was the last of the Timelords,” Eve explained quietly.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” 

Eve puts on a happy smile for Alec, “You’re taking this a lot better than Ellie did. She was mad that she hadn’t been told as soon as I met her. You know, like it’s something normal that you tell people.”

Alec smiles, “You’re still you.”

Eve decided that now is not the time to bring up the fact that may or may not change her face as some point in their relationship. Instead, she smiles, “Still me.” Then, she waves her hands, “Enough emotions. Let’s eat.”

Alec nods going back to his salad before glancing at Eve, who was beginning to dig into her salad, “I will have several questions, you know?”

Eve nods with a small smile, “I look forward to each and every one.”   
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Two salads later found Alec and Eve laying on top of the comforter just staring at each other. Eve smiled knowingly, “You care so much, don’t you?”

“How do you know that?”

“Those big brown eyes. You’d be amazed at how good I am at reading those. For example, I know that you were jealous of the way Mark kept flirting with me and staring at my breasts.”

“Hush. I was not jealous.”

“Oh, you so were. That’s okay though. Still like you.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Alec muttered. The, before Eve could full process what was happening, his lips were on hers. It wasn’t this big huge thing of fireworks. It wasn’t fast. It was slow, and rather made Eve feel like she was flying.

Alec pulled away first because he had to breathe at some point, and Eve just looked at him with wide eyes, “Okay, that was heavy.”

Alec signed seeing the shocked look on her face, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t...”

Eve shut him up rather quickly by kissing him before pulling away, “I wasn’t complaining, Detective Inspector. However,...” she glanced at her watch, “It’s late, and as much as I’d love to do more, I’m exhausted and you need sleep too. Meaning, I’ve got to go.”

She went to get off the bed, but Alec grabbed her hand, “Stay.”

Eve turned to him with a giggle, “And sleep in my clothes?”

Alec just turns, opens one of the bedside table drawers, and tosses her a dark blue t-shirt, which hits her in the face. Eve cackles as she heads to the bathroom, “You’re lucky I have an automatic feeder for Laila due to many numerous long nights in the past, otherwise I would really have to go.”

Alec was rather silent while Eve had stripped out of her work clothes, and put-on t—shirt. She hadn’t bothered to take her leggings off as she had often worn them to bed in the past. She’d begun to worry that maybe her surprising him had made his heart give out, but she stepped out of the bathroom to find him passed out in his clothes. She shook her head, “Oh, Alec.”

She slowly turned off the lamps on both side of the bed before getting under the covers on the left side of the bed. Eve curled up in the fetal position with her hands under her head, and was content to just watch him sleep. Her own exhaustion caught up with her, and she drifted off.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Across town, the back door of Eve’s house was kicked in. Laila ran out of the bedroom barking loudly. A gun shot ran out, a whimper, and then the house was silent. The gunman was gone before anybody knew he was there.


	8. Push Down Your Emotions, and still Weep Anyway

Eve groaned at the sound of a mobile going off. She lifted her head off of Alec’s chest to see him reaching over for his phone. She laid her head back down, and listened to the vibrations of his chest as he  spoke, "What ?”

Then, Eve’s head was on his stomach when he suddenly sat up, “What? Where?”

She sat up with a sigh, and he practically flew out of the bed to put his tie, suit jacket, and coat back on. He looked at the redhead and mouthed, ‘Get dressed.’

Eve glared at him, but went to the bathroom to do what he said. When, she came out dressed, he was off the phone, and she blinked blearily at him, “What was so important that I had to get dressed at the ass crack of dawn?”

“There’s a boat on fire drifting at sea,” Alec explained quickly as he handed Eve her coat, and ushered her out the door of his hotel room.

She turned to him looking much more awake now, “You mean like THE boat?”

He nods as they fly down the stairs, “It might be.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“One of the night-boat radioed in. No sign of anyone on it,” PC Daniels told Alec and Eve as the three of them approached the beach.

Eve kept having to push her hair out of her face due to the strong winds that were blowing through the town. 

“Who do we call? Harbour Master? Coastguard? I need people out there collecting every piece, “Alec shouted over the wind.

“The tides coming in. It’ll wash up soon enough.”

“No!” Alec argued. “Get it done.” He stalked off back towards Eve’s car. 

Eve gave Daniels a small smile, “He may seem upset, but I think he’s excited to have a lead like this. Eager to get at it.” 

Daniels nodded as the redhead began to walk away before she turned around with her hair and coat floating in the wind, “We really do need all the piece of that boat we can get.”

“I’ll get right on it, Ma’am.”

Eve nods, “Thanks, Bob.”

Eve ran to catch up with Alec, “Alec! It’s very early in the morning, and in case you haven’t noticed I’m a foot shorter than you, so please slow down.”

Alec looked back and slowed down when he saw the redhead struggling to keep up. She linked her arm with his when she did, “Look. I’ve got to get new clothes and check on Laila, so I’ll take you to the office because I know you itching to work, and then I'll meet you when I’m not in yesterday’s clothes.”

He shakes his head, “You go ahead. It’s not far from here to the office.”

Eve gulps as her mind shifts to the possibility of him putting too much strain on his heart by walking all the way back to the office. “I can take you, Alec. It’s not a problem,” she insists.

Alec chuckles, “Just go see Laila. You wouldn’t keep bringing her up if  you weren't itching to get back to her.”

Eve sighs, “She is my dog, Alec.”

“I know,” he kisses the top of her head, “Go.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve lets out a deep breath as she steps into her house, and leans against the closed front door. All she wanted was a shower, coffee, and some loving from Laila. Speaking of which, Laila usually runs out of the bedroom barking excitedly when Eve came home. Eve glances in the bedroom to find it empty and frowns. “Laila? Where have you gotten to?” She yells loudly thinking that maybe Laila had been in another room and not heard the door. 

That theory goes out the window when she steps into the kitchen where her backdoor was wide open, and Laila was lying in a pool of her own blood. Eve freezes having flashbacks to the first dead body she’d seen. It was eerily similar to this. There was a spurt of blood, a body, and a giant pool of blood. 

Eve unfroze when her knees connected with the wooden floor of the kitchen. She crawls over to Laila and pulls the dog’s stiff body to her chest. Her clothes would have to be burned. No amount of hydrogen peroxide was going to get that much blood out. She rested her head in Laila’s neck and sobbed. “Oh, Laila. Sweetheart...I’m so sorry. I should’ve come home.” 

Eve sniffles loudly as she looks up at what she would’ve come home to. Her own murder. She’d only been spared because she was with Alec. 

Eve took her grey wool coat off and wrapped Laila in it before heading out to the backyard through the broken in door. She grabbed the shovel that was leaning up against the side of the house from where she had done some gardening a week earlier. Then, she started to dig. She kept digging till there was a whole that was at least six feet deep in her backyard. 

Eve leaned the shovel against the fence, lifted Laila off of the soft grass, and gently lowered her into the hole. Eve look at breath to keep from breaking down in tears as she picked back up the shovel, and began to shovel the six feet worth of dirt back into the hole. 

Eve stood there staring at the make-shift grave when she was done. There were no tears. It was as if she’d forgotten that she was allowed to cry. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

After a shower that hadn’t been long enough to wash the sorrow that was being squashed down by Eve, she got dressed in a black Henley, black velvet slacks, a black velvet blazer, and black snakeskin ankle boots. She hadn’t even let her red curls completely dry before she was out the door.

Alec and Ellie seemed to be able to sense the dark cloud hanging over their partner’s head despite her reassurances that she was alright. However, they had more pressing matters. The burning boat had finally been brought on shore, or what was left of it was.

“It can’t be Mark Latimer’s boat. That’s still with our forensics,” Ellie pointed out as the three detectives walked along the dock to the SOCO truck.

“Is this it?” Alec asked Brian.

Brian grinned at him, “On Earth we say, ‘Good morning, how you doing?’”

“I’ve told him. Makes no difference,” Ellie remarked. “Connected to the Latimer death?”

Brian began to explain their findings, pointing to parts of the remaining boat, “Traces of accelerant suggest the boat was doused in petrol. I’m finding flecks of glass and fibers of cloth within the wood. If I had to guess I’d say a lit rag inside a bottle was used to ignite it.”

That got Eve’s attention as her eyebrows shot up, “Hold on. You’re saying this guy made a Molotov cocktail just to burn a wooden boat?” She was racking her brain for anyone she knew that could make one. She could, her dad could, her old partner before Ellie could, her uncle Jack could, and she’d taught Joe, Nige, and Mark how to at a party one night. Her brain full stopped before it circled back to Joe. She glanced at Ellie out of the corner of her eye.  ** Please be wrong this one time. **

Brian nodded, “That’s most likely what they did, yeah.”

“If someone took the boat out that far at, what 4 A.M., to burn it, how did they get back?” Alec asked.

“The rear section had marks where an outboard motor might have gone. They used that to get back onto another boat,” Brian theorized. 

Eve turned to look around the docks.

“Or there was more than one of them,” Alec was thinking out loud as he looked out at the water,”

Eve shook her head, “No.” It was one person. She knew that for sure. One person trying to throw off the scent.

“Why  burn this boat?” Alec asked. He didn’t argue with Eve. He believed it was only one person as well.

“This piece might hold the key,” Brain pointed at a groove in the wood. “We sent back a sample for match and analysis. Look in the grain. Strands of hair.”

Alec and Eve both put on their glasses as they went for a closer look at the groove. Eve’s left hand found a way to Alec’s shoulder, so that she could brace herself and not potentially fall into the truck and ruin the evidence. Their faces were inches apart, and Eve could practically feel the excitement course throughout him as he chanted, “Outstanding. Out-bloody-standing!” 

Alec stood, and slapped both Eve and Ellie on the back. Eve had to throw her hands out to brace on the truck doors, so that she didn’t fall onto the shard of burnt boat. She chuckled slightly as she took her glasses off once she was standing upright again. 

“Oh, ladies, we’ve got them!”. Alec turned to Brian, “Keep going. I want to know as soon as you have confirmation.” He immediately began to drag both women off the pier in excitement. Come on, ladies, no hanging around.”

Eve giggled at his excitement.

“That’s cheered you both up,” Ellie commented.

“100 quid says that’s the boat they used, and those hairs belong to Danny,” Alec kept rambling. “They’re panicking, ladies. Fantastic. That is exactly what we want. Starting to show themselves. And they’re an amateur. Haven’t done this before. That’s clumsy – burning the boat like that and so soon. That’s a big mistake they’ve made. That’s like oxygen to us. Breathe it in, ladies, we’re getting somewhere.” He lifted the caution tape for them to walk through. Ellie still had to bend a little bit to fully make it under. Eve, on the other hand, barely had to bend her knees. 

Ellie leaned over to Eve as Alec walked behind them to Eve’s car, “He’s like you whenever get you one of those crime novels on Christmas.”

Eve rolled her eyes, “Shut up.”

Ellie just giggled. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

There was a tense silence in the Latimer household when the three detectives arrived to give them an update on the case. Liz, Chloe, and Mark sat on the couch with Alec, Eve, and Ellie across from them. Beth hadn’t returned home from her run yet. 

While they waited, Eve was running through everything they knew about the killer in her mind. He knew Danny and the Latimer’s well, would’ve had access to a boat, and he knew where she lived. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out that Laila’s killer must’ve been Danny’s killer as well. Everyone in town loved Laila, and got excited to see the talkative dog when Eve would take her on walks. The only one that would gain anything from offing Eve’s dog would be someone that was trying to scare her off of their trail. They were a fool though if they thought they’d make her want to quit pursuing them. If anything, … it made her more determined to catch them.

Eve’s head turned to the front door a few seconds before it opened and shut loudly, and Beth walked into the living room in her running clothes. 

“Where the hell have you been?” Mark asked. 

“Running,” Beth panted. “Am I not allowed to run?” Then, she noticed the three detectives in her living room, “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Eve waved her off as Ellie explained, “Just bringing you up to date.” Alec stood up to give Beth his chair, and stood being Eve, who was sitting in a chair from the dining room. “I was just saying we’ve asked forensics to examine Danny’s clothing in greater detail. We’re following up on leads from the house-to-house.”

“Yeah, now that you’ve stopped messing about with me, “Mark muttered.

Beth glared at him, “Don’t be a wanker, Mark.”

Most of the people in the room looked at her in shock, except for Ellie and Eve. Beth had pulled Ellie out of the house early in the morning, before the sun came up, and revealed that she’d seen Mark with Becca Fisher. However, Eve wasn’t an idiot. She knew well enough that Beth wouldn’t leave well enough alone, and would do everything in her power to figure out why Mark had refused to account for where he’d been that night. 

Ellie cleared her throat uncomfortably, “We’re holding a public meeting at the school later today. Just to keep the town up to date, answer questions. You don’t have to be there. “

“I’m  gonna go. On behalf of all of us,” Liz explained. 

“You don’t have to, Mum,” Beth told her. 

“I want to,” the older woman insisted. “Keep busy.”

“Why is there nothing more about Danny in the papers?” Mark asked. “It’s like page 12, couple of paragraphs.”

“Don’t judge the investigation by what’s in the press,” Alec warned. 

Mark shook his adamantly, “No, we were saying if there’s more in the papers it might jog people’s memories. What if there’s somebody out there? They might have seen something. If we had more in the papers...”

Eve leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, and her hands clasped tightly. “You might think it’ll make it better to have all that information out there in the world, but you might just make it worse. Not just for the police investigating, who will have to deal with the press hounding them and getting in the way with their own opinions on who did it, but...” she paused looking each of them in the eyes briefly before returning her gaze to Mark. “...you might make it worse for you all as well. The press won’t leave you alone. Everyone will want to know all things Latimer.”

The Latimer’s all shared looks with each other.

“Please, let us handle the media,” Alec said. “We have experience with us.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

On a bench overlooking the beach, Eve and Alec were having a midday tryst. They had been sitting quietly watching waves come kiss the sand. Eve was happily eating a Cornetto when Alec asked, “What’s wrong?”

Eve froze with her frozen treat half-way to her mouth before looking at him, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alec.”

“Evelyn.”

Eve sighed, “I don’t  wanna talk about it. Not yet.”

Alec nodded, “Did I do something?”

Eve whipped around, pointing her treat at him as she spoke, “No! No! It's not you. You’re fine. No... you’ve been fantastic.”

He smiled, “You’ve been fantastic too.”

Eve rolled her eyes, “Not your best line. You thought a boat shard with blood and hair in it was fantastic.”

Alec grimaces slightly. “How was Laila?” He asks, changing the subject, not realizing that was not the direction the conversation should’ve gone. 

Eve was silent for a minute before she began to weep. Alec’s eyes widen as his brain fumbles for something to do before he finally pulls her into his side. Eve didn’t seem to care that she’d dropped her Cornetto on the dirt under the bench they were on as her arm instead clung onto his waist tightly. 

“Shh, you’re okay. You’re okay,” Alec whispered. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry...” Eve kept whispering into his chest, but he got the feeling she wasn’t talking to him. 

“What happened?” Alec risked asking. 

Eve pulled away, and Alec thought for a moment that she might leave him in order to avoid having to talking about it. Instead, she just wiped at her eyes, “Laila is dead.”

Alec looked at her sympathetically, “How?”

Another tear rolled down Eve’s pale cheek, and Alec wiped it away gently with his thumb. She let out a shaky breath, “Someone... someone kicked in my back door. She thought it was me slamming the door, and she came running out excitedly. She always does. They... they...”

Alec shook his head, “You don’t have to continue.”

Eve smiled softly at him despite the glossy eyes, “I want to tell you though. I have to tell someone. I can’t tell, El. Not yet.”

Alec nodded and waited patiently for the redhead to continue. “They shot her, and left,” Eve’s voice cracked on the last word as she clenched her hands into fists as she tried to mentally shut off the tap. 

Alec looked shocked, “Do you know who?”

Eve turned to him. She had an agonized expression on her face as she whispered, “It was him.”

Alec looked at her in confusion, “Who? Danny’s killer?”

Eve nodded wordlessly as she stared absently at the ocean. 

“Do you know-”

“I have a theory, but I’m not telling you till there’s more evidence beyond my gut instinct.”

Alec nodded silently before pulling her into his side and kissing the top of her head. “I’m here. Whenever you need me.”

Eve pulls away to smile at him, “I know. I’ll be there when you need me too.” She looked around before winking at him, “Besides we are the best Detective Inspector duo in  Broadchurch . In more ways than one now.”

Alec laughed lightly as he pecked her lips, “You’re an idiot.”

Eve giggles, “Oh, I know, DI Hardy. You love me anyway, though.”

He smirks, “ Your bloody right I do.”

Eve’s mouth opens to tease him, but he’s quick to capture her lips with his. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

"We’re all asking, no offense, but why’s it taking so long?”

Eve rolled her eyes at the question while having her pen hovering centimeters above her journal in case someone or something caught her eye. She had to hand it to Alec though. He was handling taking questions from the general public brilliantly. “Multiple complex crime scenes, particularly at the beach. Lack of CCTV in key areas. Err... absence of witnesses seeing Danny on the night he snuck out. We’ve a lot of information still to process. We’ll get there.”

Susan Wright raised her hand before speaking, “Susan Wright. How many people do you even have working on it? I heard you were short staffed.”

“We have the right resources for an investigation of this size,” Alec assured her. “Next question.”

Laurie, a local shop owner, stood up, “I’ve just come from the pier, and there’s bloody forensics vans all round.”

Eve narrowed her eyes at the man, “Is there a question in there Laurie?”

The man rolled his eyes, “Why are the vans there?”

“New information came to light overnight. And we have to examine it without contamination,” Alec explained. 

“Is that the boat that was on fire?” Nicky Smith asked from her seat beside her husband. “My brother saw it when he was out with his pots.”

Everyone began to murmur amongst themselves. Eve’s eyes drifted to Mr. Connelly, who was looking quite proud of himself. She glared at him.  ** You just got lucky. **

Alec shifted uncomfortably, “Erm … it’s too early to talk about specific types of evidence.”

Laurie continued to hound him, “You said the tents on the beach would come down at any moment and they’re still there, and now you’re adding bloody great vans.”

“Sir, you have to understand why we’ve got tents in the first place. Every grain of sand must be gone over. Every cigarette butt, stray hair, piece of plastic, nails, skin, all of it has to be tested to ensure we don’t miss anything. We will do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t affect your livelihoods, but our priority is to a thorough and efficient investigation.”

“But low-key, we don’t the name Broadchurch to be a byword for murder like Sandbrook.”

Eve watched as a dark look came over Alec’s face, and she felt something snap inside of her. She turned to Laurie, and crossed her arms over her chest, “Why don’t you keep  those kinds of opinions to yourself, Laurie, as they do nobody here any good. Better yet, why don’t you stop worrying so much about your shop, and show the family who have just lost their son some respect.”

Laurie just glared at her, and sat back down. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"I told you there was a boat,” Mr. Connelly gloated as he came up behind Alec and Eve. Eve, who flinched violently, having not expected the man to come up behind her. The action didn’t go unnoticed by Alec.

“Oh gosh, just what I need,” Alec said sarcastically. “Great, a boat.  There’s hundreds of them round here, you got lucky.”

“Lucky. Yeah, well, did you look for it? Eh? Does Beth know you didn’t follow that up?”

Alec stopped to get in the man’s face, “How about you heed my very strong advice, stay away from her, do not get involved. Alright?” He put a hand on the small of Eve’s back and led her way from Connelly as she glared at him from over her shoulder. “You alright?”

Eve nodded, “Of course. Always alright me. What about you? I know you don’t like having Sandbrook brought up.”

Alec looked at the redhead curiously, “You’ve never asked.”

Eve glances at Ellie, who was making her way over to them, “I don’t have to. I read the files.”

Alec looked at her in confusion, “How? They weren’t in your jurisdiction?”

Eve smirked, “Alec, do you really think that can stop me? I’ve got some powerful contacts. I can read anything I like from wherever I like. I know everything about that case that there is to know, or at least everything that was on the books.”

Alec sighs changing the subject as Ellie comes up to them, "The longer this goes on, the more everyone wants to get involved, sticking their word in. Develop their pet theory. People getting restless, too many opinions, it’s starting already, I don’t like it.” He scowled when Ollie and Maggie came up to Eve’s car as well. “Here we go again.”

Maggie looked at Ellie and Eve, “Will you pass on to Beth and Mark, whenever they feel able to talk, come to us, to me? They know we do things properly.”

Eve nodded as Ellie said, “I’ll make sure they know.”

Maggie gestured to Ollie, “And Oliver has got something else to tell you.”

“Well, we always love hearing from Oliver,” Alec muttered sarcastically causing Eve to smirk. 

Ollie looked annoyed as he handed Alec a paper, “I found this on Jack Marshall, who runs the newsagent  here. He was in prison before he came here. He’s got a previous conviction for underage sex.”

Eve’s eyes widened as she pulled the paper from Alec’s hand to look at it herself. 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“Is this about the postman?” Jack asked. “The one who was arguing with Danny?”

Ellie shook her head, “No, though we talk to him. He said he never had an argument with Danny that day.”

Jack snorted, “Load of rubbish. I know what I saw.”

“Tell us about your conviction for sex with a minor, Jack,” Alec  spoke up.

Jack tensed, and spoke with low tones, “So... we’re into the muck-raking, are we?”

Alec shook his head, “Just  wanna establish the facts. You didn’t mention it when we spoke.”

“It’s got nothing to do with anyone,” Jack insisted. “Nothing to do with Danny.”

“Eve says that you help with the Sea Brigade. That requires CRB checks cross-referenced with the Sex Offenders’ Register,” Alec told him. 

Jack scowled, “I am not a sex offender. That conviction was a farce. I’m not on any register.”

“Only because it happened before the Register came into being. Why didn’t you tell us about it?”

Jack jerked his head towards the file that was laying on the table between Alec and Eve, “You’ve got the file, haven’t you? I’ve served my time.”

“You should have declared it,” Alec scolded him.

“Put up a sign, should I? ‘Ex-convict here’. I came here to get away from that. I am not what you’re insinuating.”

“When did you last see Danny Latimer?”

“I told you, the day before he was  found . He came in, did his paper round.”

“What about the night of Danny’s death? Where were you then?”

“In, on my own, reading a book,” Jack stated as Eve half-heartedly wrote it down. She didn’t think it was him. She was pinging her radar. 

“Anyone vouch for that?”

“Only the book.”

“Which book?”

Jack looked at him, “ _ Jude the Obscure _ . You might not like it. Not many pictures.”

“Oi!” Eve said in warning. 

Alec leaned forwards on his elbows. “We’ve been told you’re a keen amateur photographer, Jack. Took a lot of pictures of the boys in Sea Brigade.”

Jack sighed, “I really do pity you. Seeing depravity in perfectly normal behavior. I’d hate to be in your mind. Now, if you’ve an accusation or evidence to put to me, let’s hear it. Otherwise, let me go back to work.”

As Jack left, Alec’s frustrated mood made a return, “Why are we relying on journalists to do our work for us?””

“He wasn’t a suspect,” Ellie pointed out. “We haven’t prioritized him.”

“Well, make him a  priority now,” Alec ordered.

Ellie glanced at Eve, “What do you think?”

Eve wordlessly shook her head before heading to her off to shut herself in her office before walking right back out with her phone against her ear. She gestured with her left hand for Ellie to follow her before tapping on Alec’s office door and giving him the same gesture. 

The followed her down to the garage where her car was parked, and she pressed the button to the driver’s door handle to unlock the car as she pulled the phone away with a worried look, “Beth says she need to see us.”

Ellie frowned, “Did she say what for?”

Eve shook her head.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When the three detectives walked into Beth’s house they were met with the sight of Beth and Mr. Connelly in the living  room. 

Eve rolled her eyes, “You’ve got be shitting me.”

“You asked us here for this?” Alec asked in exasperation.

“Tell them,” Beth told Mr. Connelly.

“Danny wants people to know that he was killed by someone he knew,” Mr. Connelly explains.

“Alright, this is offensive. I’m calling a halt right now,” Alec grumbled.

“I told you about the boat. You didn’t listen, and now you’ve found a boat.”

“Tell her,” Alec told Ellie.

Ellie frowned, “Beth, we checked Steve’s record. He’s bankrupt with previous convictions for vehicle theft, petty theft, and conspiracy to defraud.”

“No,” Steve said.

“What?” Beth asked in shock.

“He’s been playing you like a bell,” Eve explained. “Trying to get famous off the case.”

Steve shook his head quickly, “She’s lying. She thinks she knows it all, but if she  did, she’d know when to shut up.”

Eve looked offended at his remark as Alec grabbed the man’s arm, “Right. Out.”

“No, no, Beth... No, no...”

“Come on!” Alec shouted angrily as he pulled Steve out of the room. He pointed at Pete, who was standing in the entryway, “And you, you’re a bloody idiot for letting him  in. ”

“Beth, it’s got nothing to do with this. Beth!”

Eve quickly followed Alec, Steve, and Pete out of the house, worried that Alec might punch the man for the way he’d spoken to her. Alec got in Steve’s face, “Look, I don’t know if you’re mentally ill, a liar, or somebody who believes they’re telling the truth, but I have to find this killer and prove my case in court. I deal in facts; all you’re giving her is fantasy. Pete is now going to escort you back to your vehicle, and you are going to stay away from this house, Beth Latimer, and DI Smith. Final warning, I see you again, I will have you in prison.”

As Pete and Steve walked off, Alec turned to Eve, who was staring at him with a fond look on her face. "Thank you," she mouthed.

Alec took her hand as he stepped back into the house, and squeezed it gently, "You don't have to thank me for that."

Eve smiled softly as he let go of her hand to walk further into the house.


	9. Dreams are Becoming Reality

Ellie walked in front of the two DIs, who were walking as close to each other as possible. Their hands would brush against each other with every other step. Ellie glanced over her shoulder at them, “You two still coming to dinner? Joe’s going shopping today, so you can’t back out now.”

Alec didn’t miss the way Eve stiffened at the mention of Joe. Eve’s left pinky wrapped around his right as he said, “We said, didn’t we? What are we asking this vicar?”

“Err, he was flagged up in the house to house as one of the few without an alibi on the night Danny was killed,” Ellie explained. 

“Do you know him well?”

“Not really,” Ellie admitted, “He’s only been here a couple of years. Eve knows him pretty well though. Treats him like her personal therapist.”

Eve sighed, “Excuse me, are you judging me for the way I deal with this job?”

Ellie giggles, “No. Just why a vicar?”

“He looks like my Uncle Rory, okay? Plus, a therapist session is  kinda like a confessional if you really think about it. You tell someone what’s wrong and they give you advice.”

The other woman just shook her head, “Anyway, we’re not really church goers. Midnight Mass, Easter if we remember.”

“If you remember Easter?” Alec asks.

“We’re normally doing Easter Egg hunts. Eve’s really good at decorating eggs for it.”

Eve shrugs, “It’s a hobby.”

Alec shook his head as his elbow brushed against Eve’s, “And so, did Christianity fall.”

“What about you, then? You religious?” Ellie asked curiously. 

“Yeah,” Alec answered. “I pray nightly that you’ll stop asking me questions.”

The sound of Eve’s laugh travelled throughout the clearing.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Paul, the vicar, sat on a bench with the three detectives. Ellie sat to his left, Eve on her left with Alec on her left. It was a tight squeeze with all four of them, so Eve and Alec’s things were pressing together, which was something both of them were trying to pay any attention to. 

“Liz, his grandmother, she’s one of our sidesmen, and I used to teach IT club at Danny’s school,” Paul told them.

“Oh, yeah, Tom did that too. I think Eve taught it for a week before they figured out that she was a little too overqualified. She kept trying to teach them how to hack firewalls,” Ellie reminiscenced.

Eve rolled her eyes, “Oi, I was trying to teach them how to check for viruses the thorough way.”

“So, you knew Danny quite well?” Alec cut in sensing that the two women probably could’ve gone for a while.

“I wouldn’t say really well. Um, he was a quick learner, same as Tom. They were good kids, both of them,” Paul answered.

“Why teach the IT Club?” Eve asked. 

“I try to connect with the community whatever way I can. Plus, I got asked to. I think the uh, last teacher before Eve who really understood computers had a nervous breakdown.”

“Oh yeah, Mr. Broughton. He used to sit there and laugh to himself,” Ellie giggled. 

Eve chuckled, “I remember picking up Tom on day, and he kept calling me James Smith.”

“Yeah, we were one ups from the man who sits there giggling to himself confuses Evelyn Smith with James Smith,” Paul joked causing Eve and Ellie to giggle between themselves.

“Where were you on the night of Danny’s death?” Alec asked, which made both women compose themselves.

“I did talk to your uniformed officers about this,” Paul points out. 

“I know.”

Paul sighs, “I was at home. On my own. I live in the house at the bottom of the hill. I was up late trying to write a sermon. Trying being the operative word.”

“Are you often up late?” Ellie asked. “I was on the verge side about 4:30 the other night, saw you standing outside the church.”

“Was that you? Ok... yeah... I have terrible insomnia.”

Eve sighed, “Tell me about it, mate.”

“I have had for about six or seven years,” Paul continues. “Can’t find anything to cure it, so, I’m often up late, wandering. That’s my best attempt to deal with it.”

“Anything specific that triggered it?” Alec asks. 

Paul shares a look with Eve. Paul used Eve as a therapist the same way she used him. He shakes his head, “Not really. No.”

“You weren’t out wandering that Thursday night?”

“No, I don’t remember it.”

“How was Danny at computers?”

“Great. They just instinctively get it. Like I say, with Danny and Tom, you only have to tell them once and they’ve got it.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The three detectives stood in the entrance way of the church. 

Ellie sighed, “Line of sight. You can see the field that backs onto the Latimer house, and my house too.” She paused. “I hate what I’m becoming.”

“A good detective?” Eve and Alec ask in tandem.

“Hardened.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec opened his hotel room door to find a very familiar redhead beaming at him. She’d changed into a navy turtleneck, navy velvet floor length skirt, and a pair of navy sandals. He could just make them out under her long black coat that had a hood.  ** That’s new.  ** He said as much, which caused her smile to fall.

She pulled at the sleeves of the coat as she followed him down the stairs of the Trader’s Hotel, “I had to buy a new one this afternoon. I buried Laila in my other coat.”

Alec turned around to apologize for bringing it up again, but Eve holds up her hands, “It’s fine.” She starts to beam again, “I came in my car, but I thought we could walk. You seem to enjoy walking.”

“Alright,” he nods. 

Eve stops at her car to pull out a bottle of wine, flowers, and chocolates before shoving them into his arms, “You’re welcome by the way. It’d be wrong for guests to show up without something. When we get there just say you couldn’t pick one.” She laughed at the look on his face, “Come on, Mon  Ráleur (My grumpy one).”

Alec looked at her in confusion as he began to follow her, “What did you call me?”

Eve winks, “You figure it out, Detective Inspector Hardy.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve lightly knocked on the Miller’s door, and took a deep breath. Alec looked at her in concern, “You alright?”

“Always alright,” Eve replied automatically.

When Ellie opened the door she was surprised, “Oh, you’re in a  suit. ”

Alec looks down at himself, “Is that bad?”

“No, I just didn’t expect it,” Ellie gestured to her light peach jumper. “We didn’t get  poshed up.”

“Neither did I.”

Eve giggled from his left, “It true. He just took off his tie.”

Ellie looked amused, “Well, there we are then. Come in.”

Alec held out the wine bottle, “I bought wine.”

Ellie glanced at Eve, who winked, letting her know that it had really been her that bought everything the man had in his hands. Ellie smiled as she took it, playing along, “That’s very kind of you.”

“And flowers.”

“Oh, you didn’t need to...” she started to say.

“And chocolates.”

Ellie paused holding it all, “Wow.”

Alec nodded  awkwardly , “Wasn’t sure what to get, so I got them all.”

Ellie finally laughed as she looked at Eve, “You really stitched him up, didn’t you?”

Eve giggled, “I couldn’t resist.”

Alec looked between the two women, “What are you two going on about?”

Ellie nodded towards Eve, “After she moved down here, I invited her to dinner. She brought all three of these, and I have never let her live it down.”

“And?”

Eve gently patted his arm, “I tricked you into making a fool out of yourself like I did.”

Alec glared at the redhead while Ellie grinned at the two of them, “Bless. Come in.”

They followed her through the house to the kitchen where Joe was making dinner. Eve shifted, so that Alec was between her and Joe. Neither man seemed to notice. 

Ellie placed the goodies on the counter next to Joe, “Alec and Eve brought wine, flowers, and chocolates.”

Joe smiled, “Full house, you can come again.”

Eve chuckled weakly from behind Alec.

Ellie turned to Alec, “I can call you Alec tonight, not Hardy or Sir? ‘Here’s your dinner, Sir’”.”

Alec grimaced at the sound of his first name unlike the numerous times Eve had said in the past. “I don’t like Alec. I’ve never liked Alec. ‘Alec’.”

Ellie looks at him, “You let Eve call you Alec all the time. Never actually told her not to.”

Eve scoffs, “The way I see it it's only fair if he’s  gonna be calling me Evelyn all the time. Besides I love Alec.” Eve  immediately shuts her mouth after that last sentence had made its way out into the universe. She hadn’t actually meant to say it out loud. It’d been a thought she’d had when he was complaining about his name. She quite loved it.”

Ellie smirked at the redhead, and Eve  internally groans already hearing the teasing she would get for that.

“ You two could always choose another one,” Joe points out.

Alec and Eve share a look with each other. After hearing their names come out of the other’s mouth, there was no way they were changing now. They always sounded just right when the other said it.

It was that moment that Alec started to ramble to Eve, but sounded like word vomit to the other occupants of the room. “Why does everyone use first names so much, like they all work in marketing? Why do people insist on doing that? I mean if you look at a person,” He turned and gestured to Ellie, “I look at you... you know I’m talking to you. I don’t need to say your name three times to  congratulate myself on remembering it, to create some... sort of false intimacy, or...” he trailed off when he saw the mildly confused look on Ellie and Joe’s faces. 

Eve patted his shoulder, “Nice one, Mon  Ráleur .”

“Shall I show you to the dining room?” Ellie suggested.

Alec nodded, and they both followed her into the dining room. Ellie caught Eve’s arm and whispers, “Are you two... you know?”

Eve can’t help the smile that comes on her face as she nods slowly. Ellie holds in a squeal, “We are so talking about this later.”

“Oh, I know,” Eve mutters before going to sit on Alec’s left, which felt incredibly wrong to her as she had a habit of being on his right. 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“How did you two meet?” Alec asks Ellie and Joe as the four of them drink wine and eat chicken tacos.

“Err, through work. Joe used to be a paramedic,” Ellie explained.

“Not anymore?’

Joe shook his head from his place next to Ellie and across from Eve. “Gave it up when Fred came along. I was getting a bit jaded anyway.”

“Jaded how?” Alec questioned.

Joe shrugged, “More red tape. Stuff that stopped us from being able to help, masquerading as health and safety.”

Eve tensed, and put her fork down as her appetite left her, which was really saying something considering she was able to eat while watching those cop shows that show the really gruesome pictures. Her appetite; however, had always been a rather accurate depiction of her emotions. Stress or happy, and she ate a lot. Angry or worried, and she barely even noticed when she was actually hungry. Ellie frowned, “Alright, sweetheart?”

Eve nods quickly, “Yeah. Haven’t been feeling well today. Might be coming down with something.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Alec looked at Eve in concern. She’d been acting off since they arrived. Was it even possible for a half alien to get sick with Earth illnesses? The answer is yes, by the way. However, he doubted that Eve wanted to talk about it in front of Ellie and Joe, so instead he asked Joe, “Where are you from originally?”

“Cardiff,” he answered. “Moved down here 13 years ago for work. Met Ellie. The rest is history. You married?”

Alec glanced at Eve, who had begun staring at her food, “This is great food. You make it yourself?”

Ellie and Joe shared a look at his deflection, but Joe nodded, “Mm. Self-taught. Mexican’s my  specialty .”

“We should really be having margaritas, shouldn’t we?” Ellie joked. 

“No,” Alec caved. “Not married. Not anymore.”

There was an awkward silence before Joe said, “Sorry to hear that. What was it? The pressures of work?”

“Sort of,” Alec sighed. Eve still hadn’t looked away from her plate or spoke for that matter. Normally, it was rather hard to get her not to make side commentary. “This job does it to you.”

Eve looked at him at that statement with a raised eyebrow before leaning over to whisper, “I think  it's more the cheating spouse that does it.”

Joe and Ellie didn’t notice as the had begun smiling at each other. “Not to us,” Joe said smugly before he thought better of it. “No, I didn’t mean...  Any, erm ... any kids?”

Alec nodded, “Daughter. 15. Lives with her mother.”

Eve looked at him sadly as a hand reached out under the table to gently squeeze his thigh. 

“Oh, that must be hard,” Ellie lamented. 

“What about you, Eve?” Joe asked suddenly. “Don’t think we’ve ever asked that?”

Eve gulped.  ** You might not of, but Ellie did.  ** “Nope. No husband.”

“Never got close?”

“Well... there was one guy.”

“What happened?”

“He died,” Eve said quickly as she squeezed Alec’s thigh painfully causing a small wince to cross across his face as he swapped his thigh for his hand under the table.

“Oh... sorry.” Joe said sounding genuinely apologetic, but it was tainted by Eve’s suspicions of him. “No one else has ever caught your eye?”

Eve opened her mouth to reply with the truth on instinct, but her brain quickly switched statements on her, “I’d rather not talk about it.” Eve wasn’t going to get Alec shot like Laila. 

Alec glanced at her worriedly. That wasn’t a statement you wanted to hear out of the person your dating’s mouth. 

Joe nodded, “Do you think you’ll solve the case?”

“Joe,” Ellie scolded. 

“Certain,” Alec answered confidently.

Eve glared at Joe, “I’d bet my life on it.”

Joe tensed, “Good.”

** Gotcha. **

Ellie coughed and stood up, “Right, I’m  gonna have a wee. No more talking about work.”

Eve’s chair scrapes against the wooden floor as she stands up quickly, “I’ll go with you.” She had no desire to be around Joe for any length of time.

Ellie looked at her worriedly, but nodded, “Okay.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve had spent the rest of the dinner sitting in the living room with her leg bouncing up and down as her mind raced around and around about Joe Miller. However, the night dwindled down and Eve found herself led to the front door with Alec. 

“ Sure, you two don’t want a taxi?” Ellie offered. 

Alec shook his head, “No, no,  walk’ll be good.” He had to many questions to ask Eve.

Eve forced a teasing smile, “I’ll make sure Grumpy here gets home.”

Ellie smiled at them both, “See you both in the morning.”

Eve pulled her hood up while nodding to the woman. Alec lingered on the porch as Eve started quickly down the street towards the field, “That was nice. Thanks, Miller.”

It wasn’t hard for Alec to catch up with Eve. He didn’t even have to run. He caught her arm, and she spun around with terrified eyes. He gently grabbed her shoulders to keep her in place, steady her, “Evelyn?”

“I think it’s Joe.”

Alec’s jaw dropped briefly, “What?”

Eve sighed, “I’d bet every dollar I have on Joe.”

“You’re that certain?”

“Yes, Alec. You don’t understand.” She shrugged off his hands, and walked further into the field. 

He was quick to catch her again, “Then, help me understand.”

Eve laughed weakly, “If I can’t understand it, why should you? Ellie likes to say I have a radar for criminals. Sometimes people just ping it. Joe’s pinging it like a xylophone.”

Alec nodded, “Joe?”

“Yes, I just can’t... prove it beyond instinct.” She looked at him sadly, “You don’t believe me, do you?”

Alec sighed, “Evelyn. Right now, I haven’t got a clue who it might be. For all I know your right, so I’m not  gonna discredit it.”

Eve nodded as she seemed to relax under his hands.

“Is Ellie...”

Eve cut him off, “She’s not in on it. I know that for a fact.”

Alec nodded before he gently took her hand, “Come on. Let’s go to the Trader’s, I don’t you staying in your house tonight.”

Eve nodded as she clung to his side, “Fine by me.”

“Did I catch your eye?” Alec asks quietly as the make their way through the field. 

Eve looks up at him in confusion, “What?”

“Earlier you said you didn’t want to talk about if anyone had caught your eye.”

“Oh! I just said that for Joe. Didn’t want you to have a target on you back like Laila did if he is the killer.”

Alec let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Good. You certain caught mine.”

Eve hums happily next to him.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Night,” a voice startled them both as Alec pulled out his keys to unlock the back door of the Trader’s. They looked to their right to see Susan Wright walking her dog. 

“Night,” Alec muttered as Eve nodded to the woman. He blinked blearily as his heart stuttered, and hurriedly stuck his key in the door. 

Eve took notice of his swaying as he unlocked the door, “Alec?” She grabbed his arm to steady him slightly as the door opened, and they both stumbled through. It barely closed behind them before he was rushing off to the bathroom.

Eve slowly followed after him, and arrived in time to see him collapse, hitting the side of the shower on his way down. She’d curse herself later for the way she’d frozen in the doorway for a few milliseconds before she was immediately on the floor next to him. She pulled her phone out with one hand while she checked his pulse with the other one. “Alec? Alec, can you hear me at all?”

There was no response and his pulse was thready. Eve relayed this to the 999  operator before laying her phone on the floor. She gently shifted him onto his back. Then, in one quick practiced motion, she ripped open his white oxford shirt, “Sorry, Alec. It’s easier if there isn’t anything in the way.” 

Eve laid her one hand over the other on the center of his chest, and took a calming breath. Then, she pushed down with all her body weight on her chest. Mentally counting to thirty as she went. She glanced at the blood coming from the wound behind his ear, “Try to stay with me, alright? Focus on my voice if you can hear me.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was sitting vigil over Alec in the ambulance, holding on tightly to his right hand.

He began to open his eyes and groaned. She squeezed his hand, “It’s okay, Alec. You’re in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. Okay?”

He tried to reach up and weakly pulled the oxygen mask off his face, “No, you can’t.”

With her free hand, Eve put the mask back on his face. “Oh, yes I can,” she corrected with an angry tone. Her face didn’t show it however. She looked terrified for the second time that night.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve didn’t sleep all night. Instead, she continued to sit vigil in a chair to the left of his hospital bed, still clutching his hand tightly, just watching him sleep. 

She almost thought she was imagining things when the next morning he groaned in pain as he woke up. He grabbed the back of his head, and when his vision cleared to see Eve sitting with  an eerily calm face asked, “What am I doing here?”

She pulled her hand out of his to cross her arms over her chest, “What the fuck do you think, Asshole?”

Alec blinked in shock, “What?”

Eve sneered at him, “You collapsed, Alec.” She nodded to his clothes, wallet, keys, and phone in the seat next to her. “I called your daughter by the way. Thought she might want to know. She’s worried, but I told her you’d live.” Eve glared at him, “How long have you known?”

Alec sighed heavily, “Evelyn?”

“How long?” she asked again.

“Can we not do this?”

Eve’s composure snapped, and she shot up from her chair to get in his face. “Oh no! I just sat in a hospital chair all night terrified that that heart monitor might go flat at any second, so yeah, we’re doing this. HOW LONG?”

Alec was right to look at her in slight fear. This was a side of Eve that only the rare few got to see. This was the Oncoming Storm’s daughter. “18 months,” he answered.

Eve scoffed as she leaned away from him, “Of course. Take a job knowing you’re not fit for it.”

Alec risks reaching for her hand, “Evelyn. You can’t tell anyone about this. If they find out I’m sick they’ll take me off the case. I don’t want to come off this case. I need to finish this case.”

She glared at him, “Why should I do anything you say right now?’

“Evelyn. It’s my career. This is my life,” He  pleads. “Could you give it up even if you knew you weren’t fit for it?”

Eve closes her eyes angrily, “Don’t you dare play that card.” She sighs as she opens her eyes to look at him tiredly, “I see your point though. I couldn’t.”

He opens his mouth to thank her, but she points at him, “Don’t thank me. I’m still angry at you for this. Actually, I’m livid.”

She stands up, tossing him his clothes and a newspaper at him, “I’m assuming you want to blow this popsicle stand?”

“Bloody right I do,” he grunted as he went to get out of the bed. He paused when he saw the newspaper, “What’s this?”

Eve sighed, “Karen White. That’s what.” She went to help him out of the hospital gown, and then into his clothes from the night before. Eve had prided herself a little for the fact that she’d managed not to rip any buttons when she’d ripped his shirt open last night. 

Before they stepped out of the hospital room, Eve grabbed his arm to turn him towards her. He looked at her curiously, but it shot to the farthest corners of his mind when she grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket and pulled him down for an angry kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist as hers rested against his chest. It was over quickly as she pulled away and out of his arm. She  straightened her clothes, and made her way to the door, “Still angry.”

Alec shook his head, “Bloody woman.” However, Alec was only getting his first taste of how volatile a Timelord’s mood swings could be. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had spent all morning in Alec’s office on the couch reading through files. It seemed as if she was afraid to let him out of her sight, and rightly so. She’d hardly said a word to him when she pulled up to her house for a change of clothes as well as to throw her velvet skirt in the trash because the blood stain had dried. He’d been mildly surprised when she walked back out the car in a much more eye-catching outfit than she usually wore. She had on a blue velvet bodysuit with a frilly layer over her chest, tight black leather flare jeans, and blue velvet Doc Martens. Her coat was thrown into the backseat when she got into the care. She’d sent him a look daring him to comment.

When Ellie walked into his office a little later in the morning, her eyes were drawn to the blood that was still visible behind his ear, “Jesus, what happened to you?”

Eve rose an eyebrow at Alec as he lied, “Err... I slipped in the shower last night.”

“You’ve been glued up. You look terrible, Sir, if you don’t mind me saying.” Then, she caught sight of the bags and dark circles under Eve’s eyes, “So do you for that matter.”

Eve shrugs as she turns her attention back to the file in her lap, “Spent all night in a hospital room with  Jackass over t here. Tends to affect  people's sleep patterns.”

Ellies eyes widen at Eve’s agitated tone. 

“Have you seen the Herald?” Alec asked, changing the subject.

Ellie nods, “Yeah, I didn’t  know they’d done that.”

“It’s opened the floodgates. Media officers been deluged with calls,” Alec complained. “So, I’m calling a conference for this evening. A family statement – try and keep as much control as we can. Meantime, I want full backgrounds on Jack Marshall, Steve Connelly, and Paul Coates. Anyone without an alibi goes to the top of our list.”

Ellie nodded, “I’ll get Frank and Nish on it.” She paused nervously before asking, “Sir, can I ask a favor? I was thinking of going to church.”

Without looking up, Eve said, “Yeah. You can go.”

Alec had no choice, but to agree, “That’s a good idea. Everyone all together, check who’s behaving normally.”

Eve rolled her eyes as Ellie tried to explain, “No, that wasn’t the...” Ellie trailed off realizing that it would’ve been no use. “Nevermind.”

“What times the service?” he asked.

“In an hour.”

Alec nodded looking at his watch, “Alright.”

Ellie left his office, shutting the door as she went. Alec risked looking at Eve, “We should go to.”

She didn’t spare him a  glance , “Oh. Should we now?”

“Evelyn.” She looked up at him. “I’m sorry for not telling you. I’m sorry that I scared you. You’re right, I shouldn’t have taken the job, but if I hadn’t... I wouldn’t have met you, and I will never be sorry for that.”

Eve sighed heavily, “Oh, you Jackass. Know exactly what to say.”

“Are you still mad?”

“No. More just sort of annoyed now.” She looked at him sadly, “I’m sorry for yelling earlier. I tend to just sort of snap, and everything comes out in one big burst.”

“I deserved it.”

Eve smirks, “Yeah, you did. Little bit.”

“You’re one hell of a kisser when your angry though,” Alec teased.

Eve rolled her eyes, “Flattery will get you nowhere, Jackass.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Alec and Eve walked into St. Bede’s Church slowly. Eve’s eyes were only on one man while Alec’s observed the rest of the room. They both took a seat towards the back. Ellie, Joe, Tom, and little Freddie were huddled on the pew behind the Latimer’s and Nige. Beth had watched Becca with a glare as she went to sit in the pew in front of Alec and Eve. 

As Paul walked up to the podium to begin his sermon, Eve’s left hand sought out Alec’s right, which he thought was a good sign. Her thumb gently rubbed circles into the back of his hand as Paul began to speak.

“We are pressed on every side by troubles. But we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We are knocked down... but we are not destroyed. As a community, the hardest thing for us is to remember, we have not been abandoned by God. We are not destroyed. Nor will we be.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had been reluctant to leave Alec’s side to have lunch at the Latimer’s, but Alec had assured her that he would be fine, and that if she got  worried, he was a text or phone call away. 

She sat awkwardly at the end of the table with Chloe just eating her food and listening. Well... more like watching Joe like a hawk. Her eyes were torn away from where he sat at the other end of the table when Chloe asked her what her tattoo meant.

Eve shrugged, “Just a bunch of circles that I used to draw for art class in high school. Finally, decided to get one when I graduated.” This was a complete lie. It wasn’t as if she could tell the whole table that she was an alien, and the circles on her arm were her real name in  gallifreyan . She wasn’t going to be carted off a heretic. Nope. Not today.”

“Could you draw me one?” Chloe asked. 

Eve thought about it before nodding slowly, “As long as you don’t run off and get it  tattooed somewhere. I don’t think either of your parents would like me after that.”

Chloe chuckled, “I won’t.” From her tone, Eve got the feeling that the teen would do exactly that when she was old enough to do so. “Do you have anymore?”

Eve laughed at her question with a small shake of her head. There was a knock on the door and Beth answered as she had already been in the hallway with Tom, “Jack’s here.”

Eve and Ellie stood as tension filled the room. 

“Everything alright?” Mark asked. 

Jack looked lost as he held out a phone. Danny’s phone. “I... found this. Heard the beeping from the delivery bags. It was in the bag at the bottom. He must have left it on his last round.”

“Yeah, that’s Danny’s phone, isn’t it?” Mark questioned as he took it from Jack. 

“Mark, I’ll take it,” Ellie said, holding out a napkin while Eve pulled an evidence bag out of her coat. “Give it here.”

“What were you doing with this, Jack?” Mark hadn’t moved to hand the phone over. 

“Mark,” Ellie insisted, and he tossed it into her hand. She put it into the evidence bag that Eve held out. Eve quickly sealed it and tagged it before stuffing it in her coat. 

“Mark, Beth...” Jack started. “They’re going to be saying things about me.”

“What sort of things?” Mark asked weakly.

“Things that aren’t true.”

Liz made her way to Jack’s side and tried to lead him to the front door, “Jack. Come on, love.”

Jack refused to move. “Things happened before I came here, and they’ll be saying I did it. I’m looking you in the eye, because he was your boy, and I’m telling you I’m not that kind of man. Please. Believe me. You have to believe me.”

Any response was cut off by the flashes of cameras outside the window. Eve sneered as she pulled her badge out of her coat, and smacked it hard against the window. 

“The bastards,” Mark cursed before rushing off after the reporters.

“I’m with you mate,” Nige promised as he ran into the backyard with Joe on his tail.

“Jack, I don’t know what you’re doing,” Liz told her friend. “Come on, Jack.”

Liz was able to walk Jack out of the house as the men chased off the reporters. Eve made her leave as well, so that she could change for the press conference as well as drop off Danny’s phone at CID for testing.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

"Why do they need all of us?” Chloe asked nervously as she paced the hallway. 

“So, people can understand how much losing Danny meant to us,” Mark explained. “How strong a family we are.”

Alec quickly ducked into the hallway as Eve held the door open, “Right, are you ready for this?”

They all reluctantly nodded.

“Chloe, you go at the far end, then Beth, and then Mark.”

Chloe followed Alec out, and Beth stalked past her husband, “I know about you and Becca Fisher.”

Eve’s eyes widen as Mark froze. Alec poked his head back in the hallway missing both of their shocked faces, “Mark, now, please.”

Mark walked out of the hallway, and Eve shut the door before quickly grabbing Alec’s arm, “Beth just told Mark that she knows about Becca Fisher.”

He grimaced before leading her over to where Ellie was standing next to a camera as the woman caught his attention. “Sir, SOCO have confirmed the hairs found on the boat – they match Danny’s,” Ellie reported. 

“I knew it, “Alec muttered to the two women. 

“Don’t get cocky now,” Eve teased. 

“Also, something from North Yorkshire Police, about a killing on the cliffs in Whitby 15 years back. They’ve seen the details and think it’s got similarities to our case.”

Alec nodded as he and Eve began heading to the front table, “Okay, later.”

Ellie grabbed the sleeve of Eve's fancy dress suit, and the redhead grabbed Alec's arm to pull him back. “Sir, Jack Marshall used to live in North Yorkshire, five miles from Whitby.”

The three detectives shared a solemn look as the conference started without them. 

“We miss Danny a lot and erm...” Beth trailed off. “We just want whoever’s done this to just come forward because we’re... we’re having a horrible time not knowing why this has happened.”

“He was just a normal lad,” Mark muttered. “Never did anyone any harm. He was everything to us. We just want to know what happened to our boy. If anybody out there knows, might know, think they saw something... then you owe it to yourself to come forward and tell the police. ‘Cos whoever did this needs to be caught.”


	10. Press are Annoying

Alec, Eve, Ellie, and Tom stood at the front of a large crowd of people on main street. It’d been decided with some begging from Eve that Tom was going to play the role of Danny. Almost everyone in town had gathered for the reconstruction of Danny’s movements on the night he snuck out. 

Tom held his own skateboard, and looked back at Ellie, who nodded encouragingly. He sat down his skateboard, and started down the street. The three detectives started walking slowly behind him with the Latimer’s following right behind. 

Beth ended up in front with Ellie while Mark walked beside Alec and Eve. Eve had her arms wrapped around her tightly because it was an especially breezy night, and the cold air was blowing her hair and coat backwards. 

“Do you think it was him?” Mark asked as he caught sight of Jack Marshall outside his store.

Eve kept silent as Alec quickly answered, “I’m not speculating about anybody.”

Mark scoffed, “Yeah, you might not be, but everybody else is.”

“Well, people need to calm down,” Alec warned.

“Let the police investigate,” Eve added quietly as she glanced behind her to see if Joe was having any reactions to the reconstruction. He was playing as cool as a cucumber though.

“They’ll calm down as soon as you arrest someone, “Mark insisted.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

"Dad ! Dad! DAD!” Eve yelled into her phone as her Dad hung up. She turned to Ellie, who desk she was sitting by in a  rollie chair, with a straight face. Ellie giggled, knowing that her friend was a little annoyed.

“Trouble with the family?” Ellie asked in amusement.

Eve sighed, “They, and by ‘they’ I mean my Dad doesn’t want me at home alone considering... well... you know.”

Ellie frowned remembering how earlier in the day Eve had told her about the break in that had left Laila dead. “I don’t think I want you there alone,” Ellie commented.

“I don’t even eat at home anymore. Can’t bear to go in the kitchen where there is still a blood stain in the wood. I pretty much make a beeline for the bedroom. Barely sleep anyway.” Eve ran a hand down her face. She was more exhausted than she let on. “My parents will be here tomorrow.”

Ellie perked up, “Oh, are you  gonna introduce them to Hardy?”

Two eyes rolled behind a pair of blue tortoise shell glasses, “I’m  gonna have to. They’ll be here for a month. I can’t very well avoid Alec for a month.”

“A month?”

“Yeah.”

“Must really be worried.”

“I am their only daughter.”

Ellie’s eyes shifted to Alec as her walked over to the two women, “A list of the boats reported missing in the last month.” She held out a paper to him as he leaned down to give Eve a kiss on her temple. He took the paper as Eve sent a smile up at him.

“Any matches?” Alec asks looking through the list.

Both women shake their heads. “No. Also, details from North Yorkshire on that cold case. Er... young girl, ten years old. Raped and killed. Her body was found on top of the cliff at Whitby. She’d been stabbed. So, it’s nothing like this MO. Eve’s looked at it already, and she thinks it’s totally unrelated.”

Alec nods, but accepts the file anyway, “I’ll take a look at it. What else?”

“Forensics have come back on the phone. Mark’s prints, but he handled it. Danny’s DNA and Jack Marshall’s, which tallies with him finding it.

“Or he claimed to find it ‘cos he knew his DNA was already on it.”

Eve rolled her eyes. Ellie just shrugged, “Funny thing is, Mark confirmed the phone was Danny’s when Jack handed it to him, but... I always saw Danny with a smartphone like Tom’s.”

The redhead’s eyes widen, “Oh!”

“Did we get any data off the handset?” Alec asked.

Eve shook her head, “Nothing, and not for a lack of trying on my part. Everything’s been set to forward to another number. The other phone most likely.”

“That swankier device that you saw him with,” he nodded to Ellie before looking back at Eve, “Can we trace the number?”

“Not at the moment no.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a pay as you go SIM. It’s turned off, no signal,” Ellie explained. 

“Again, not for a lack of trying,” Eve added.

“Why does a kid his age have two phones?” Alec began to think aloud. “How could he afford this other one?”

“The cash we found in his room?” Ellie suggested.

Eve snorted, “I don’t know about you two, but when I had a job as a tutor when I was a teenager, I barely scrapped by. No way he saves up 500 pounds delivering newspapers.”

“Could that money have come from Jack Marshall?” Alec suggested.

“I’d doubt it.”

Alec nodded turning to Ellie, “Did you see your son at the end tonight?”

“A bit,” Ellie said. “He just wanted to go home.”

He stood up from where he’d been perched on Ellie’s desk, “You tell him from me, he’s a good lad. He did right by Danny.”

Eve smiled, “Aw. That’s sweet of you to say.”

Ellie smirks at Eve, “Oh, by the way, Eve’s parents are  gonna be here in the office tomorrow.”

Eve’s head snapped to her friend, “ELLIE!”

Alec looks curiously at the redhead, “Can they be up here?”

Eve scoffed, “Alec... one of them is an alien remember? An alien, who deals with other alien threats to the Earth. My parents and I have a high enough clearance to get into Buckingham Palace. So yeah, they can be up here and see privileged details.”

Alec nods, “Alright.” He strides off to his office.

Eve giggles and give Ellie a  mischievous , “I don’t think he realizes that he has to meet them as the man I’m in love with.”

Both women start cackling causing Alec to look at them as if they’d gone mad through his office windows.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve glanced out the window of Alec’s office to see her Dad looking through one of the files that had been on Ellie’s desk while her mom sat in Ellie’s desk chair, playing patiently with a pen. She could almost hear the banter going on between them. 

“How credible is Jack Marshall as the suspect?” CS Elaine asked drawing Eve’s attention back to the conversation at hand. 

Alec swung a bit in his desk chair as his eyes moved around the room, trying not to focus that Eve’s red velvet jumpsuit, suit jacket, and shoes was making her hair look even redder than it already is. “Strong links to Danny, he doesn’t have an alibi for the night, he had Danny’s phone in his possession,” Alec listed off. 

“Who else is possible?”

Alec and Eve shared a look. They’d decided to keep her suspicions of Joe off the table for now until they had concrete evidence to back it up. “The Dad – Mark,” Alec answered. “Very quick to lie about where he was. Had an alibi all set to go. Even now there’s still two hours missing from his alibi. He used to hit Danny, according to Miller’s son.”

“Occasionally, not all the time,” Ellie clarified from her seat on the couch in Alec’s office.

Elaine eyed her, “Think  it's possible?”

Ellie shook her head, “Maybe, I don’t know.”

Alec looked at her with mild surprise, “You’ve changed your tune.” He turned back to Elaine, “Then, there’s Paul Coates – local vicar, no alibi. Taught Danny about computers. Err... church overlooks the back of the Latimer’s house. We’re running background.”

“I’m running background,” Eve corrected teasingly.

The CS eyes glanced at the redhead leaning against Alec’s desk, “And you? Any gut feelings?”

Eve froze before quickly replying, “No. It’s all getting muddled.” She picks up the newest Daily Herald newspaper, “And articles like this by reporters trying to make a few extra bucks by trying to solve the case themselves is not helping.” She slammed the paper back on the desk. “I for one am getting tired of waking up to them.”

Elaine nodded. “Tread carefully,” she warned the three detectives. “We can do without offending the church.”

“Better hope it's not him then,” Alec muttered, putting his glasses on as CS Elaine walked out of his office with Ellie behind her. Eve tapped his desk to get his attention.

“So been thinking...”

“That’s never a good thing,” Alec teases.

Eve glares at him, “Ha. Very funny.” She shakes her head, “Anyway, I was wondering if... maybe... you’d like to sleep over tonight at my house? We don’t have to do anything. I just can’t bear to go back to an empty house.”

Alec smiled softly, “Yeah. Sounds good.”

Eve beamed at him, “Ding  dong , okay!”

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask sooner. From the way you talked about Laila, I got the feeling you liked having another heartbeat around the house.”

Eve smiled softly, “Yeah. Maybe that’s why the silence is harder than I thought it would be.” She slid off his desk, “I’ll leave you to get some work done.”

Alec shook his head fondly as the redhead practically skipped out of his office before quickly coming back in with her phone in hand. “Jack Marshall would like to see us.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“You could make a complaint to them,” Alec told Jack as he, Eve, Ellie, and Eve’s parents responded to the newsagent owner’s call. Well... the three detectives did, Eve’s parents where harmlessly looking around the shop. 

Eve saw her dad going to put something in his mouth, which definitely should never be near it, and quickly exclaimed, “Dad!”

A pair of brown eyes widened, and gravity defying hair quivered as Eve’s Dad turned to see his redheaded daughter shake her head with a frown. He put down the barcode scanner with a sheepish look on his face as her Mum rolled her eyes.

Eve turned to Jack, “Sorry. Go on.”

“Would making a complaint stop them?” Jack asked.

“Honestly? No,” Alec admitted. “But... if you cooperate with us a bit more, we can clear you of all suspicion.”

Jack scoffed, “You think I haven’t heard that before? ‘Cooperate and we’ll make it all right’. Next thing I’m being charged.”

“All I want it to get to the truth of Danny Latimer’s death,” Alec assured. 

Eve nodded in agreement, “Anything you can tell us could help us rule you out at a suspect.” She nods towards the flashes coming through the window, “No more of that.”

“How is this allowed to happen?” Jack asked gesturing towards the press with their cameras. “I need police protection. I’m under  siege .”

“Has anyone threatened you?” Ellie asked. “Physically intimidated you?”

He looked at her in disbelief, “Did you not see that lot? I’m under siege.”

“Just stay inside. Bit of luck it will all abate soon enough,” Alec told him.

“Stay inside? That’s it?” Jack spat. There was a police constable trying to get the press away from the front window. “You get ‘ em away from here. I’ve a shop to run.”

“Well, not today,” Alec muttered.

Jack looked at the three detectives angrily, “You’re doing this deliberately. Seeing if I’ll crack. You’ve got me marked and nothing will make any difference.”

Eve and Ellie shook their heads as the older of the two answered, “We don’t work like that.”

“But you have held things back from us,” Alec pointed out.

Jack sighed, “I... I was a music teacher. She was a pupil. No boys involved. A girl.  I'm sure you can fill in the gaps.”

Eve’s eyebrows rose in shock a little while her parents, who were standing a  little way behind Jack looked flabbergasted. 

Alec looked at Jack, “You had sex with a pupil?”

“I had a relationship,” Jack corrected.

“Who made the first move?”

“It was a mutual attraction.”

“And you had sex how many times?”

Jack regarded Alec with disgust, “You think I put notches in my bedpost?”

Eve shook her head, “No. That’s not what we’re saying at all.”

“Who told the police,” Alec asked.

“Her father,” Jack answered. Eve’s eyes shifted to brown ones over his shoulder. “I was made an example of. Served a year. I was lucky to make it out alive.” Jack paused. “She was 15 years and 11 months. Another four weeks and one day, and nothing would have been amiss. I served my time.”

“For God’s sake,” Alec hissed, thoroughly irritated that Jack hadn’t just come out with this when they interviewed him previously. “You should have told us this when we first asked.”

“It was nobody else's business, but mine,” Jack justified. 

“Did you have contact with the girl after you were released?” Ellie asked.

Jack sighed heavily, “I married her, the week after I was released. She was 17, I was 40.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Paul accosted the three detectives. Eve’s parents had decided to leave their daughter to do her job without having to look after them as well, and were exploring the town like they did every time  they visited to see what had changed. 

“What are you doing to protect Jack Marshall?” Paul asked. 

“Why is it your business?” Alec asked, clearly not in a good mood. 

“He’s my parishioner. He’s terrified,” Paul insisted. 

“We’ve been over to him. We’re trying to keep the press at bay.”

“You’re not doing a very good job,” Paul pointed out.

Eve glared at him, “Maybe because  it's not our day job to deal with reporters. We’re here to solve a murder. Not play monkey in the middle.”

“There’s an innocent man being hounded and you need to do something about it,” Paul pressed.

“You’re certain he’s innocent, are you?” Alec questioned. 

Paul stared at him curiously, “You’re certain he’s not?”

“Your concerns noted,” Alec said before walking off with Eve and Ellie on his tail.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"What Marshall said doesn’t alter the facts. He has a conviction, and is a suspect,” Alec barked as he, Eve, and Ellie walked towards his office. “We can’t be distracted by him or the press. We  persevere with evidence.”

Eve nodded placatingly as she gently patted his arm, “We know, Alec.”

Brian poked his head out of the conference room, “Are we on?”

“Yes,” Alec said quickly following the other man into the room with the two female detectives on their tails. They all sat down with Brian on one side of the table, and the detectives on the other. Ellie sat on Eve’s right, who sat on Alec’s left.

Brian slid an evidence bag with four cigarettes in it towards them, “Four similar cigarette butts all within three feet of one another, within four feet of where the boy’s body was found.”

“What makes them special?” Alec asks as he lifted the bag to get a closer look. 

“Timing,” Brian answered. “If they’d been there more than a few hours earlier they’d have been washed away by the tide, but there’s no traces of tide water on them. They were left there that morning about the same time the body was.”

Eve frowned.  ** Joe doesn’t smoke, or at least I’ve never seen him smoke.  **

** “ ** Is that a common brand?” Ellie asked.

“High tar,” Brian explained. “It’s quite unusual these days. If they were bought locally, you might be in with a shout of people remembering the purchaser.”

Eve groaned, “Yay. Just I wanted to do today.”

“Four cigarettes?” Alec mused.

“What’s the matter?” Ellie asked. 

“All that way to drop off a body and then stand and smoke. Doesn’t make sense.”

Eve shook her head, “Makes perfect sense to me. If I was dropping off a body, I’d be more than a little high strung. Might just risk getting caught so that I could take a few drags to calm down. Or...” She holds up a finger. “Or they might have wanted to admire their work.”

“The important thing is, who smokes them?” Ellie adds.


	11. Missing Boats, Dinner, and Another Body

Eve slammed her office phone against her desk loudly a few times before shoving back in the cradle, then gripped her head with both hands.

Ellie knocked lightly on her office door, “I take it looking for anyone that remembers who purchased the cigarettes isn’t going well?”

Eve gives her an annoyed look, “No.” She sighs, “What’s up?”

“Apparently Oliver’s dad’s boat is missing.”

Eve sits up straight, “No way.” She points towards the bullpen area, “Is he in  an interview room?”

“Yeah?”

Eve practically shot out of her office shouting, “Why didn’t you start with that?”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sat excitedly in a chair across from Oliver while Ellie leaned against the table next to her. 

“When did you last see the boat?” Ellie questioned him.

“Eight weeks ago,” he answered.

“The whole thing?”

He nodded, “The motor and everything.”

Eve and Ellie shared a look before Ellie sighed in frustration. “Why’d you leave the motor on it?”

Eve nods in agreement, “Probably why it got stolen in the first place. Easier than rowing that’s for sure.”

“Dad always did,” Oliver defended.

“And I always told him not to,” Ellie argued.

“Do you think it could be the boat that was burned?” Oliver asked almost as eager as Eve looked.

Ellie rolled her eyes, “It’s late, Oliver. Thank you for reporting it. I’ve given the picture to SOCO. Leave it with us. You can go now.”

“But if you find it was, can I have the story?” Oliver begged causing Eve’s excitement to drop dramatically. “Don’t announce it, give it to me. If it was our boat – my boat. Dad’s boat.”

Both women said nothing and left the room.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve was lying on the couch in Alec’s office with her eyes shut, “I saw we call it in thirty minutes and go home. Well... to my house. Not exactly home anymore is it? Not without Laila.”

Alec glances up sadly at the redhead, “I suppose not.”

Eve turns her head towards him, but keeps her eyes closed, “My parents will probably have dinner laid out, and will want to drill you with questions.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

“Yeah, but then after they’ll head to the Tardis, and we can cuddle.”

“Cuddle?”

Eve pops one eye open, “Yeah. Why what did you want to do?”

She watches as he tenses, and she sits up, “Oh. I mean we can if you want. I’ll have to do all the work though. I’m not having you dying on me.” She plops back down, “Might be a nice way to wind down.”

“Wind down?”

“Oh, you know what I mean. Relieve stress.”

Alec went to reply, but Ellie walked in to hand a file to Alec. 

“Erm... I don’t know if Eve told you, but the burned boat. Bit weird. Erm... the boat itself was my ex-brother-in-law's. Bit of a surprise, Olly’s dad. He’s been gone awhile. Left my sister a few years ago.”

Alec looked at her in disbelief as Eve has spent the last hour holding that information back as she lightly dozed on his couch. “The boat that was burned, that has Danny’s DNA on it, was your brothers?”

“Ex-brother-in-law,” Eve corrects from the couch.

Ellie nodded, “Yeah. It was just left, just of the beach, with the motor chained to it. I mean, anyone could have taken it, just use bolt cutters.”

“Who knew it was there?” Alec asked. 

“Everyone did,” Ellie shrugged. “It wasn’t a secret.”

“Your son Tom, did he know?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Did Danny?”

“I don’t know.”

Eve nods, “He did.”

Ellie looked at her in confusion, “How do you know that?”

Eve looked caught at that, “Uh... remember that time I tutored him in geography?”

“Yeah.”

“Well... how better to learn geography than to see it.”

Alec sighed, “Alright, well, see if forensics can get any other prints or DNA off the shards, match them against all the elimination prints.”

Ellie nodded, but paused before leaving, “Oh, and erm... funny thing. I had to tell someone. Erm... SOCO Brian just asked me out.”

Eve shot upwards into a sitting position, “What?”

Alec squinted at Ellie in confusion, “Brian? Why would he do that?”

Ellie’s embarrassed smile fell, “Thanks for that.”

“You’re married,” Alec justified. 

“I told him, but it didn’t seem to faze him.”

Eve rolled her eyes before pointing at Alec, “I’m telling you that a good majority of the male population doesn’t take vows seriously. Then, again neither does some of the female population.”

Alec paused before looking back at Ellie, “Flattering?”

She shrugged, “Well, sort of, but its SOCO. They’ve had their hands everywhere.”

“Dirty Brian,” Alec smirked.

“Yeah,” Ellie chuckled. Then, she asked, “Sir, do you think we’ll get them, the killer?”

“We will,” Alec said going back to his work. He seemed to be in a hurry to leave, but then  again, his thoughts  were being hijacked by the image of a certain redhead.

“These are my friends, people I’ve known all my life. We can’t let them down,” Ellie confessed.

Alec looks up with a determined look in his eyes as Eve looks relieved behind the other woman, “We will.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve was banging her head on the table as she listened to her mother tell yet another embarrassing story from her childhood. The first couple had been okay, now though? Now, it was getting into things she wouldn’t even tell people under threat of death. 

“Okay!” Eve said loudly when her father this time went to tell a very unfortunate story about the one  time, she got a 24-hour stomach bug, and ruined a bathroom wall. She glances at her watch and is relieved to see that it is approaching the early hours of the morning. “As much as I would love for Alec to hear about the  time, I defecated on a bathroom wall... It’s getting rather late, and we have to be up first thing.”

Her parents have enough sense to look ashamed about all the stories they had been telling. Her mother patted her daughter’s arm, “Sorry, sweetheart. Couldn’t resist.”

Eve glares weakly at her, “No, you never can.” She watches out of the corner of her eyes as her father has a few words with Alec before grabbing his long brown duster coat off the back of the couch. Her mother catches her attention by whispering, “He’s a keeper by the way. Stared at you dreamily the whole time.”

Eve scoffed, “Probably trying to picture me with a mullet due to that  unfortunate hair cut I had in the 3 rd grade.”

Donna chuckles at her daughter, “Oh hush. You asked me to give you a mullet, so I did.” 

Eve shakes her head as she gives her mother a hug, “Yeah, and I love you even though you actually listened to me.”

Her mother giggles as she lets go to pull Alec into a tight hug as well, which has him looking at Eve for mercy. She shrugs at him before practically pouncing on her father in her rush to hug him. He happily obliges with his own tight hug, “Oh, come here...” Lifting her off the ground due to his own tall stature. Eve giggles happily just like she always did when she hugged her Dad, before letting go when her feet touched the floor again. 

She waves slowly at them as the walk down the driveway in front of her house, and shut the door with a sad sigh. Alec looks around awkwardly, “Could’ve warned me about the hugging.”

Eve rolled her eyes as she walks up to him and wraps her arms around his neck. She gently pecks his lips, “They probably came from a time when they know you better. Didn’t you notice that they barely asked any questions about you? They even asked you about Daisy, who for all intents and purposes, they shouldn’t know about.”

“What?”

Eve giggles, “Time travel, sweetheart. Ever since I decided to stay on Earth, I don’t exactly meet them in the right order. Those are two young versions of my parents. I’ve met very old versions as well.”

“Bloody hell woman.”

“You love me anyway.”

Alec hums as he leans down to kiss her softly. 

Eve carefully led him backwards through her house till the back of her knees found the foot of her bed. Alec smirked against her lips and she yelped loudly as she was suddenly lifted up so her legs wrapped around his waist. Then, he gently lowered her down onto the bed. 

They pulled away from each other when the need to breath became too much, and Eve took the opportunity to quickly flip Alec over causing him to grunt as his back hit the sheets. He didn’t complain; however, when Eve straddled his waist.

Eve begins to slowly unbutton his shirt as his own hands grip her hips tightly. She gently sat him up to pull his shirt off before throwing it on a chair across the room. 

Alec kissed her slowly, but passionately as they laid back down. His hands beginning to pull her red velvet jumpsuit down to reveal her breasts as she undid his belt buckle and pulled it from his pants in one quick motion. Then, they both pulled away from each other again to pull the rest of their clothes off themselves and throw them across the room.

Eve had a smile on her face as she gently rested her hands on his chest to steady herself above him. She could feel how fast his heart was beating under her hand, “Still  wanna do this?”

“Yes,” Alec groaned. “You?”

All Eve would have to say was no, and they’d stop.

Eve smirked, “Never wanted anything more than I want you right now.”

He grabbed bare hips, “You sure?” His Scottish brogue deepening as a result of his arousal.

Eve smile softened as a hand came up to gently stroke his face, “Yes.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

_ Eve, Alec, and Ellie were pursuing a perp, who had broken into the beach side cliffs. Eve was hot on the guy's tail, but she froze at the shout of pain behind her. _

Eve shot up in bed, the comforter pooling around her waist as her eyes darted around the room. Her head turned to Alec, who was sleeping peacefully beside her, his shout of pain still echoing in her ears. 

She carefully got out of bed, covering Alec with the comforter because she didn’t want him to get cold, wrapped a navy-blue robe around herself, and padded towards the kitchen. She didn’t make coffee or tea, instead she went to the back door, and slowly opened it. Eve looked to her right to find a forget-me-not with droplets of blood on it. She’d seen it out of the corner of her eye when she’d buried Laila under the tree, but her brain had processed it till now.  **_ Information processed too fast for the brain to  _ ** **_ comprehend; _ ** her own voice told her. 

Eve leaned down to pick it up. She’d been wrong. I wasn’t Joe that had shot Laila. No... this person was worse than that. Her eyes glanced quickly around the backyard before they shot back to the flower in her hands.  ** I have to move. **

Eve walked back into the house, shoving the flower in the trash can before making her way back to the bedroom. She took off her robe, and laid back down in bed with her head resting gently on Alec’s chest. Her eyes didn’t close as she just laid  there listening to his heartbeat.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Eve quickly grabbed her phone off  the nightstand when it rang. She glanced at the name before swiping to answer, “What’s wrong, Bob?”

“You better get DI Hardy and get down to the beach.” Bob answers.

“Why?”

“Just get down here and fast.”

Bob hangs up and Eve sighs.  ** So ** ** much for sleeping in. **

She turns to Alec, leaning down to softly kiss his lips. After a few seconds, he begins to kiss back. When she pulls away, Alec hums, “I could get used to waking up to that.”

Eve giggles as she gets out of bed, “Get dressed, Alec. Duty calls.”

He groans loudly, which is quickly dampened by his boxer’s being thrown in his  face.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve, Alec, and Ellie walk along the beach towards Bob, who was standing next to a body. Eve pales when she processes that its Jack Marshall. The three detectives stare sadly at him as the waves crash around their feet.


	12. Worn Down

After finding Jack Marshall’s body, there had been an influx of reporters in Broadchurch. All of whom were dying to get the chance to blame Alec for Jack’s death. They would wait outside his room at the Trader’s, so that they could hound him with questions. 

At least they did until Eve put her foot down one day demanding that Alec just stay with her until the reporter left town. He’d be reluctant until she’d told him that it didn’t have to be anything permanent. Just a little reprieve from the reporters. 

Not that either of them complained when they were both getting more sleep together than they did when they slept alone. Well... more sleep a majority of the time when neither of them was  plagued by nightmares. 

The morning of Jack Marshall’s funeral was not peaceful in the temporary Smith and Hardy household. 

Eve’s visions of Alec collapsing were getting more frequent, and it was beginning to fray on her nerves during the day. She was a constant bundle of nervous energy, and would watch him like a hawk. She’d been tossing and turning all night, which meant that Alec was kept awake, or would be woken up by a foot kicking his leg or the comforter being ripped away as Eve turned onto her other side. Needless to  say, it was a relief when in the very early hours of the morning, both detective inspectors were passed out in a deep sleep. 

Eve groaned when she felt Alec begin to have his own turn at the tossing and turning in his sleep. Her eyes shot open; however, when she realized that he was muttering incoherently in his sleep about water.

She turned on her side to face him, and gently ran her hand through his hair. “Alec,” She whispered softly. She put two fingers to the middle of his forehead.

Eve gasped as she was suddenly on the beach standing next to Alec who was frantically yelling at Paul Coates, Mark Latimer, Nigel Carter, and Steve Connelly, who were all standing in front of waves that were increasing in size. Eve gently grabbed Alec’s arm causing him to whip around to stare at her with wide panicked eyes. She smiled softly, “It’s just a nightmare, Alec. Wake up, Mon Ráleur.”

Eve was thrown out of Alec’s nightmare and into the real world as he shot up shouting, “Get out of the water!” Then, he groaned at the pain in his chest, and breathing heavily leaned over to the bedside table to grab the packet of his pills. Eve gently took the pills out of his shaking hands, and pinched a couple out of the packet for him. She hands them to him, and he takes them with a big gulp of the water that Eve had left on his bedside when she’d finally come to bed that night.

Alec fell back on the bed, breathing heavily as his heart began to calm down.

Eve gently ran her fingers through his hair, “Do you want to talk about it?”

He glances at her, “Do you want to talk about yours?”

She pales, and Alec regrets asking about the nightmare that plagued her. Instead of pressing, he looked at her curiously, “How did get into my dream?”

Eve smiles sheepishly, “Timelords are touch telepathic. I didn’t want to startle you awake, so I figured a gently nudge from inside the dream might be better. I won’t do it again if it bothers you. I shouldn’t have done it without your permission anyway.”

Alec shakes his head, “No, that was fine. Just don’t go reading my thoughts all the time.”

Eve looks offended at that, “I don’t and I won’t.” Then, she smiled softly at him as she laid back down, staring at him. 

He sighed, “I have to solve this, Evelyn. I can’t fail this time.”

“You won’t. Also, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a billion times. Sandbrook was not your fault.”

“Feels like it was.”

“Would talking about it help?” Eve asks curiously.

“What is with you and wanting to psychoanalyze everything when you won’t share your own feelings?” Alec teases.

Eve rolls her eyes before leaning over him to peck him gently, “Even so, if you want to talk, I’m all ears.”

“Now that I believe with all that staring you do.”

Eve smacked his side gently as she got out of bed to make them both a cup of tea, and maybe a small breakfast if she felt like it.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie gave a sad sigh when she saw that Eve’s fancy suit was making another appearance on the day of Jack Marshall’s funeral. She fingers the material on Eve’s arm as the redhead pulls a men’s black tie out of her desk, “You know one day you’re going to have to wear this when there hasn’t been a murder or a death.”

Eve sighs, “It’s the one fancy suit I have. It’s not for everyday wear, Ellie.”

Ellie smirks, “Tell that to DI Hardy then. He quite likes the way it hugs your waist if the look, he was giving you earlier were anything to go by.”

“Nah, he’s just remembering what my body looks like under all the layers,” Eve retorts. Ellie goes slightly red in the face, and its Eve’s turn to smirk as she walks out of her office. 

Both women entered Alec’s office to see him peering at a newspaper with the headline “Worst Cop in Britain” written across the top. Ellie winces, “They’re bastards.” Alec looks up curiously at the two women. “We didn’t hound him, they did. Now they’re playing the innocent.”

Eve gently places the black tie onto Alec’s desk, “If you want to come to the funeral, you need your black tie. I forgot it was in my desk after...” she trails off with a glance at Ellie.

Alec cleared his throat at the memory of shagging Eve on the floor behind her desk. He picks up the tie, “Erm, the Chief Super is scaling our resources back.”

Eve sighs as she sits on the edge of his desk, “Yeah. I got the memo too.”

Ellie gaped at the two of them, “What?”

Alec nodded, “We’ve reached our budget ceiling. As of next week, pulling back on staffing levels.”

“She can’t do that,” Ellie argues.

“I’m afraid she can,” Eve confirms.

“That’s what happen when a case drags on. Bosses lose confidence, panic about explaining it to the accountants,” Alec adds.

“Well, how are we meant to solve it?” Ellie asks.

“Chase forensics on the boat,” Alec answered. “The results are our last remaining piece of clear evidence.”

Ellie sighs, “They’re doing as much as the can, but let me hassle them again.” Alec stood up, taking his tie off. “You don’t have to come to this.”

“What, ‘cos of that?” Alec jerks his head towards the paper that Eve was glancing at. “Bugger them. I’m the worst cop in Britian. Think they’re right?”

Ellie grinned, “Yeah. Eve and I are getting you a t-shirt with it on.”

Eve giggled at that causing Alec to smile briefly before his face became serious again. “Danny’s killer is likely to be there today. Now, he has two deaths on his conscience; however indirect. Let’s see who’s looking worried.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Alec sat in a pew towards the back of the church, their eyes jumping around the room as they observed everyone. Eve’s hand came to rest on Alec’s thigh as Paul walked up to the podium at the front. 

The vicar seemed reluctant to begin his speech as he gripped the podium tightly, "We're assembled here today to share our grief. And to celebrate the life of Jack Gerald Marshall. Jack Marshall was a good man, and as has been made clear since his death, an innocent man. The local newsagent and Sea Brigade Master, who kept children secure on land and safe at sea.” Paul paused. “So how are we here? We let him be smeared and intimidated. We weren’t there when he needed us. So, today, in celebrating Jack, we also have to admit that some of us failed him.” Paul looked at Eve and Alec in the back row. “Just as we failed Danny Latimer. The commandment tells us “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” In this darkest of times, we have to be better. If we are not a community of neighbors, then we are nothing.”   
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve, Ellie, and Alec stood by the doors of the Trader’s as the people of Broadchurch walked about at the reception.

“Do you think the killer’s here?” Ellie asked.

Eve eyes snapped to Joe, who was across the room, and tensed, “I’d bet my life on it.”

Alec glanced worryingly at the redhead before saying, “A good chance. So, keep an eye...”

“Keep an eye out, look for anything out of the ordinary,” Ellie finished for him in an annoyed tone. “Got it.”

Alec looked at her curiously, “Do I  urk you, Miller?”

Ellie gave him a look, “Seriously? You’re only asking me that now?” Eve snorted quietly as the woman walked off.

Alec glanced knowingly at the redhead, “And you?”

Eve smiled fondly at him, “Oh, you drive me barmy.”

Alec hummed lightly before catching sight of Paul, and walking up behind the Vicar. Eve sighed as she quickly followed after him.

“That was a bit of lecture back there, wasn’t it?” Alec started. “Tore a strip off the town.”

Paul didn’t blink at the accusation, “Not really. Unless you’re worried it was directed at you.”

“Was it?”

Paul glared at both of them, “I came to both of you. I told you that Jack needed protecting. You did nothing.” The vicar’s eyes turned to look directly at Eve, “Eve, he was your friend...”

Alec went to defend Eve, but the redhead beat him to it. 

She held up hand with her finger and thumb pointing out, “No, we’re not doing this, Paul. I’m not about to have mud slung in my face when Jack took his own life in his hands, and decided that he didn’t want to live anymore.” Eve laughed dryly, “You want to have a go at us when you and your words and your God did nothing for Jack Marshall. Why don’t you just mourn Jack without starting a whole new blame game.”

Eve’s hand had begun to tremble, and she quickly dropped it to clench her hand into a fist at her side. She glanced between Alec and Paul, “Excuse me.” Both men watched at the redhead made a beeline for the bar. 

Eve didn’t even look up at Becca, “Sex on the beach.”

Becca smiled softly as she went about making the drink for the redhead. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was slowly sipping on her fruity drink as she came out of the bar room to see Alec observing as Paul talked with Tom Miller. She frowned when she watched him stop walking suddenly before pitching forward into a table, knocking a dish to the floor. 

Her eyes widen as she quickly set her drink down as Laurie and another man began helping a bent of Alec up from his position in the doorway, “Whoa, there. Whoa, there, big fella. One too many, is it?”

Eve patted Laurie in thanks on the back and smiled hurriedly at the other man, “I got it boys. DI Hardy here forgot to eat breakfast at the station before we came. Probably just a little light headed.”

Alec brushed her off as he finally got his footing back, “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Eve rolled her eyes as she still led him to a chair, and squatted down beside it with a hand on his knee, “Do you need a... you know?” 

He nodded slowly, and she dashed off to the bar for a glass of water, so that he could take the pills. However, when she came back out of the bar room, she saw that he was sitting on the stairs next to Tom, and Joe had interrupted their conversation. Eve froze as she saw the look that came across Alec’s face as Tom walked off. She knew that face. She’d made the same one during Tom’s interview. She could practically feel the flicker of suspicion from her place at the entrance of the bar.

Eve waited till Joe walked off to join Alec on the stairs. She handed him the glass of water, and began to dig through the pockets of his overcoat for the packet of pills. She quickly hid them in her jacket pocket as she pinched one out for him. She gently placed it in his hand, “Take it.”

“Thanks,” he muttered before he took the pill. 

Eve glanced at Joe from across the room, “I saw that look, Alec.”

Alec nodded solemnly, “He didn’t want me talking to Tom.”

The redhead hummed as she took the glass of water from him to take a small sip before setting it on the stair between them.

Alec glances knowingly at the redhead, “Rumor has it that you enjoy stakeouts?”

Eve gaped at him, “Did Ellie tell you that?”

“Yes.”

Periwinkle blue eyes roll, “God, that makes me sound so creepy.”

“I think having two hearts is the creepy part.”

Eve winces, “Did send you off the bed, didn’t I? Suppose it is creepy when you’re not expecting it.”

Alec  chuckles , “Find it quite interesting now.”

Eve snorts before looking at him, “Who are we tailing tonight?”

“The vicar.”

An intrigued look comes over Eve’s face, but she points at him, “You can do the  surveillance . I want a nice nap.”

“Yes, love.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve’s car was parked across the street from a church in  Yeoville that was holding an AA meeting. Alec was watching with rapt attention while Eve dozed in the driver’s seat with her seat lent back. 

She’d been asleep for half an hour when she shot up all of a sudden, jolting Alec out of his staring contest with the church as she looked around wildly for him, and sighed in relieve when she saw him in the passenger seat alive and well.

He raised an eyebrow, “Nightmare?”

Eve nods as she puts her seat back into an upright position, “Yeah.”

“Wanna talk about it?”  Alec repeats Eve’s earlier offer.

Eve give him a look, “Point taken.”

“Is it the same one?”

Eve is eerily silent as she starts the car after seeing Paul walk out of the church. 

“Evelyn?”

She white knuckles the steering wheel, “Drop it, Alec. I really don’t want to talk about it. Not when it has to do with...”

“Do with what?”

Red hair shakes as Eve’s head shakes quickly, “Nothing. Forget it. Just a stupid dream.”

Alec put a hand on her shoulder, “Eve. You can’t sleep. You barely eat anymore. You watch me like a hawk. Whatever it is, it is most certainly not a stupid dream if  it's causing you this much stress.”

Eve looks at him with tear filled eyes, “Please. Leave it alone.”

He nods, “Okay.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The next morning, Alec was stood in the breakroom spreading butter on two pieces of toast while Eve held an untouched cup of coffee in her hands. Her eyes were closed as she leaned against the counter. 

“Toast?” Ellie asked as she walked into the breakroom. “Don’t you get breakfast included?” She teased.

Eve opened her eyes blearily while Alec nodded to her, “ Didn’t want to wake her till absolutely necessary.”

Ellie smirked, “Oh! Why’s that?”

Eve rolled her eyes as she took a long sip from her coffee.

“Know what I did that night, Miller?”

Ellie’s smirk widened, “I don’t think  it's appropriate to discuss you and DI Smith’s personal  liaisons .”

Alec ignored her teasing, “We followed the vicar.”

Ellie frowned, “Paul Coates? What did you do that for?”

“I thought, he likes a walk in the evening. I wonder where,” he explained. “Except yesterday he didn’t walk. He drove. To Yeovil. Over the boarder to darkest Somerset. All that way for a meeting.”

“What sort of meeting?” Ellie asked as the trio left the breakroom.

“A meeting  meeting . Alcoholics anonymous. Our young vicar is an alcoholic.”

“Well, recovering alcoholic if he’s going to meetings,” Ellie corrected.

Eve snorted into her mug, “Yeah, because meetings always help.”

“All the same,  it's interesting,” Alec muttered.

“Maybe,” Ellie remarked.

Alec looked at her, “Maybe?”

“Suspect alcoholics and you’ll have to include half this station.”

“He didn’t mention it,” Alec points out.

“Here, here,” Eve cheers holding up her mug.

“Didn’t think it was relevant?” Ellie surmised.

“I want everything on him. Last parish, old girlfriends, overdue library books, and what goes on in that computer class,” Alec ordered, pausing when he saw the stack of papers in Ellie’s hand. “What’s this?”

“Forensics on the burnt-out boat,” she handed them to him, taking a seat on the couch as Eve took her normal perch on the edge of his desk. “Blood, hair, and prints matching Danny’s, and paint chips matching the color of Danny’s skateboard.”

Eve blinked in confusion while Alec asked rhetorically, “What were they doing with Danny’s skateboard on the boat?”

“And traces of a cleaning product, the same one used on Danny’s body,” Ellie adds.

“They were transporting Danny’s body down the coast. The killer tried to clean off any traces left on the body,” Alec theorized.

“It was a domestic cleaning product nicked from the supplies in the hut, which leads us to believed it wasn’t planned any of this,” Ellie remarks. “Boat nicked from the  beach; cleaning fluid nicked from the hut. The killer was improvising.”

Eve nods as Alec takes a bite out of one of the pieces of toast. She rubs at her eyes, “Well... won’t figure anything out if we just sit here theorizing.” She takes the other piece of toast off of Alec’s plate, who doesn’t protest as that had been his plan to get her to eat something. She stuck the toast in her mouth, and jangled her keys at the other two as she walked out of Alec’s office. Both of them quickly grabbing their things to hurry after her. Ellie was especially giddy because it was the first time in quite a few weeks that Eve was actually taking point.


	13. Eve's Worst Nightmare Come to Life

Eve marched into  _ The Broadchurch Echo _ , leading the other two detectives. She gave Maggie a quick smile before looking at Oliver and pointing towards the stairs, “A word, Oliver.”

The man nods as he continues to type away, “In a minute.”

Eve pinches the bridge of her nose at the headache beginning to form there. Then, she walks up behind Oliver, and leans over to turn off his computer, which gets an indignant huff from the man. Eve looks at him blankly, “Now, please.”

Oliver glared at the redhead before looking at Ellie and Alec, who both seemed to be staring at Eve as if she was someone they had never met before. He sighed, and followed the detectives upstairs.

“Who knew that the boat was moored there?” Alec asked.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a secret,” Oliver replied. “Pretty much anyone who walked down the beach there.”

“When did you use it last?”

“Oh, ages back. Um... we went paintballing down the coast, with Tom and Danny. Six months back, maybe. It was that really hot weekend in March, I think.”

Ellie looked at him in confusion, “Tom’s never been paintballing.”

“Oh, no, yeah, that’s right. Mark asked Joe because he knew you’d say no to Tom using weapons.”

“What?” Ellie asked in shock.

“Uh, so it was me, Tom, Danny, Nige Carter, and Mark. Legendary day. I’ve still got the pictures. It’s probably the last day I spend any time with Danny.”

“So, all these people knew about the boat?” Alec asked. “Knew how the motor started.”

Oliver nodded, “Yeah.”

“Who else?”

“Loads of people. I mean, Mum let’s people burrow it for cash, whenever they liked. Everyone’s had a go on it, one time or another. Eve for her geography lessons, Brian from the King’s Arms, Kevin the postman, at least three of Tom’s teachers. Paul Coates, too.” Alec’s head snapped up at the mention of the vicar. 

Eve waved the two detectives off, “You two go ahead. I’ll be down in a minute.”

They nodded and headed to the car. Oliver looked at Eve hesitantly, “Going to have go at me some more?”

Eve sighed, shaking her head, “No. Sorry about that. I haven’t slept well. I actually had another question.”

Oliver nods for her to go ahead.

“Did Joe Miller know about your Dad’s boat?”

Oliver looks at her in confusion, “Yeah, why?”

She shrugs, “Just trying to get a good list of people that knew about the boat. You know? Maybe he saw someone with the boat.” A little white lie never hurt anybody, did it? She shook her head, “Anyway... thanks, Oliver.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The three detectives walked through St. Bede’s  cemetery with Paul Coates.

“Ollie’s boat?” Paul asked. “Uh yeah, once. Probably more than a year ago. I thought, you know, being as I was here, I should be a bit more, uh...  fishermanly . So, I took the boat and a rod, and I caught nothing. Got a nice sunburn, though.”

“Ah,” Eve muttered. “Sunburns. The bane of  my existence.”

“How long have you been going to Alcoholics Anonymous?” Alec blurted out causing Paul to whip around to face him.

“Explain to me why that’s relevant?”

“Explain to me why  it's not?”

Paul’s eyes narrow, “Oh, I see. I make a complaint about your failings with Jack Marshall, and you come after me?”

Alec shook his head, “Not at all. Why  Yeovil ?”

“So, I can be anonymous, have privacy, and not bump into parishioners.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about this?”

“Because it's nothing to do with your investigation,” Paul defends.

“Were you drinking the night of Danny’s death?” Alec asks getting a look from bot Eve and Ellie. 

Paul looked offended, “I haven’t had a drink for 473 days.” He looks at Ellie, “Is he always this objectionable?”

“They’re both excelling themselves today,” Ellie answered. “Be glad you got him and not Eve. She had an attitude with Oliver.” Eve smirks from her place on Alec’s left.

“In your last job, you assaulted a child after you’d been drinking,” Alec points out.

“I didn’t assault him. It was a joke gone wrong,” Paul explains before gesturing to himself, “He was twice my size.”

“You have no alibi for the night of Danny’s death,” both detective inspectors reminded.

“Why would I kill him? What possible reason can you dream up for me to murder an  eleven-year-old boy?”

None of the detectives answered. “Come in and provide a DNA sample, would you?” Alec asked before he walked off with Eve hot on his tail. Ellie just looked apologetically at the vicar before following after them.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve came out of the interview room looking worse for wear, and wasn’t surprised to see Alec leaning against the wall in the hallway, “Not a word.”

Alec hums lowly, “I’ll take care of Paul.”

Eve looks at him in confusion, “What? Why? I can handle it. Not my first time taking a DNA sample, dear.”

Alec raises an eyebrow, “You look like you could drop right there. Also, I’m a bit worried you might put someone through a wall at this point.”

Eve sighs as she falls back into the interview room door, “Yeah. Maybe a good cool down would be good.”

Alec puts a hand on her shoulder, “Go sleep on the couch in my office if you want.”

Eve shakes her head, “No. I’m not  gonna sleep while everyone else works. I’ll just sit in my office. Think.”

Alec looks worriedly at her, “Evelyn you have to sleep. You’re  gonna kill yourself if you keep on the way you are.”

Eve glared at him, “You’re one to talk.” She didn’t wait for his reply as she stalked off towards her office.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sat bent over her desk with her pounding head in her hands when Ellie knocked lightly on the open door of her office. The redhead lifted her head to look blearily at the other women, “Yes?”

Ellie pointed with her thumb over her shoulder, “It’s Finley’s last day, they’re going out for a quick drink.” 

Eve shook her head as she pulled some money out of her desk, “No. I’ve got a nap date with that couch in Alec’s office. Give him my love though.”

Ellie took the money from her as the redhead stood up to make her way to the grumpy scot's office. “Should I ask him?”

Eve giggled, “He won’t go if I’m not. Might give some money for a round though.”

Alec looked up when both women entered his office, and could help the smirk that crossed over his face as Eve made a beeline for his couch. “Yeah?”

“It’s Finley’s last day,” Ellie explained as Eve laid down on the couch, so that she was facing Alec.

Alec nodded, “Right. Which ones Finley?”

Eve snorted softly, “Tall with the dark lopsided haircut.”

“Oh, him. Okay.”

“They’re all going to the pub for a quick drink. Yeah.” Ellie adds.

Alec looks at Eve, and immediately shakes his head, “No. I have stuff to...um...”

Eve gave Ellie  a knowing look, “Told you.”

Alec handed her a note, “Get him a round or something on me.”

Ellie held her hand out to receive the money, “Sure you don’t want to go. I’m sure Eve could survive without you for a few minutes.”

“Not really. Too much stuff to do here.”

Ellie looked at him expectantly, “ It's probably more like 30 for a full round.”

“Oh... okay,” he said beginning to dig through his pockets. 

“You alright?”

“Yep,” coins rattle in his pocket.

“Not even a quick one?”

“Tell... um...” he fumbles for the name.

“Finley,” both women tell him exasperatedly.

“Finley. Tell him... well done.”

“He’ll be overjoyed,” Ellie replies sarcastically.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had passed out pretty much as soon Ellie had left the room. Alec decided to take advantage of the silence and tried to call Daisy. A beep resounded throughout the room as his call was put through to voicemail. Eve slumbered happily on the couch despite the noise. 

He sighed, “Hey, it's me. Just checking in with your voicemail, as usual. If you get a chance, give me a call. It’s been a long time. I mean, I know... I know you’re busy with school and home and... all the other things you do, but... I do think about you. Every day.” He sniffed. “Sorry. Not getting soppy. Sorry. You had my word on that. Um...” He leaned on his elbows on his desk, “We could do video call, couldn’t we? I’d like that. You could be my first video call. Before you forget what, I look like. Right, well, that’s me. This is Dad, signing off. I love you, darling. Please give me a ring.” 

He hangs up, and tosses his phone on his desk. He stares at Eve, who had begun to smile in her sleep. He thanked every god he didn’t believe in that she was able to get a good sleep for once. He stood up and walked over to the couch, leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, and then walked out his office to go through everyone’s desk to see if there was something he was missing. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve woke up a little later feeling much more refreshed. Still exhausted, but felt a little better. She frowned when she saw Alec’s desk unoccupied, and glanced at her watch. It was late, but he wouldn’t have just left without waking her, so he had to still be in the office somewhere. She got up and left his office to look for him, which didn’t take long as her eyes settled on him sitting underneath the case board with his head in his hands. He was... crying.

“Alec?” she questioned softly as she made her way across the room before sitting down next to him. He looked at her with tear filled eyes, “Oh, Alec. What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

She pulled him towards her, so that he was leaning against her chest as she gently ran her hand through his hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he continued to sob for a little while. 

Eventually he spoke quietly, “I can’t figure it out. You can’t figure it out. I can’t see it. I’m failing again. Sandbrook ruined my life. My daughter won’t talk to me... I have to solve this one.”

Eve sighed as she rested her cheek on the top of his head, “We will solve it, Alec. We’re so close now. We’re closing in on him. I just know it. We will find Danny’s killer, and he will go to prison for a very long time. He won’t win. Not this time. We won’t fail. I won’t let you fail.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The next morning was rather peaceful for the two detective inspectors as they sat at the island in Eve’s kitchen, and ate toast in a companionable silence. Alec and Eve were arguably both introverts, so they were very comfortable enjoying the silence in the others company. Eve sighed when the silence was broken by her phone going off. She held it up to her ear as she tossed the rest of her toast onto Alec’s place. He was twig anyway. 

“Yes?” Eve asked calmly.

Eve’s eyes snapped to Alec, “What do mean Tom brought home evidence?”

“ _ He brought home Danny’s skateboard. Said Susan Wright gave it to him. I’ve got uniformed officers heading to her caravan now. You, me, and Hardy just need to catch up.” _

Eve nodded, “Yeah, okay. On our way.”

It was almost comical the way both detective inspectors grabbed their coat and bolted out the door leaving a plate with two half eaten piece of toast behind.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Cover the back, you, come with me,” PC Bob Daniels directed other uniformed officers as the three detectives made their way to the door of Susan Wright’s caravan. 

Alec pounded on the door, “Susan, its DI Hardy. Can you open up, please?” When there was no answer, he tried to yank the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Alec gestured for two uniformed officers, “Right, get it open.”

When they pried the door open with a crowbar, Eve rushed inside, and was not at all surprise to find it vacant. She gently placed her hand on the stove, “Still warm. She left a few minutes ago.”

“Get SOCO here,” Alec ordered. “We have to find her. She can’t have gotten far.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Susan sat at a table at  _ The Broadchurch Echo _ across from Maggie and Oliver. Maggie smiled, “Thank you for popping in, Susan.” She pushes a few newspaper articles towards the other woman, “I did a little digging on you. Friends in low places, see. I know about your husband and your children, and what was said, but never proved about you.”

“What do you want from me?” Susan sneered.

“You threatened me,” Maggie reminded her. “And I want you to know that I’m the one that dobbed you in to the police.” She looked behind Susan, “Isn’t that right, Detective Inspectors?”

Susan slowly turned to look at Alec, Eve, and Ellie. “Come on,” Alec told her. She walked past them, eyeing the two female detectives up and down. 

When they got outside; however, Susan noticed the absence of her dog, and began to resist causing two uniformed officers to grab her as she yelled, “Where’s the dog? Where’s my dog? Where’s my dog? Bloody answer me! Where is the dog? Where’s my dog?”

Eve sighed as she sent a text to Bob asking him to send a few officers out to begin searching of a chocolate lab that  answers to the name of Vince.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Why did you have Danny Latimer’s skateboard?” Alec asked Susan once they had her in an interview room. Eve stared at the woman impatiently as her pen hovered just above her notebook. Susan just stared at him, refusing to speak even with the solicitor. “Why did you give Danny Latimer’s skateboard to Tom Miller?” Again, she didn’t answer. “What’s your favorite color?” Eve smirked at that one. “I can do this all day.”

It was Susan’s turn to smirk as she looked Alec up and down, “Not by the looks of you, you can’t. I want to see my dog.”

“What, solicitor not good enough?”

“I  ain’t seeing anything until I’ve seen my dog.”

Alec leaned back as Eve put the cap on her pen, “I don’t think you’re in a position to bargain.”

“We’ll see,” she told him smugly.

Alec stood, knowing that he wasn’t going to get any answers out of her at this moment, “Take some thinking time. No rush.” As the three detectives left the room, Alec rounded on both women with a shout, “Find her bastard dog! Now!”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec was flipping through files angrily while Eve sat on the couch in his office keeping up with the search for Vince. They both looked up when Ellie rushed in with her coat in hand, “Sir!”

“Tell me you found the dog?” Alec asked.

“No.”

“Find the dog! We need the dog! She won’t talk without the bloody dog!”

Eve held up a hand, “Alec, shut up for a bloody second!”

Alec looked at her in shock, “Did you just tell me to shut up?”

She made a rude gesture at him before looking at Ellie, so that the woman could speak. 

“Sir...” she nodded to Eve, “Ma’am, front desk just had a call. There’s been a break in at the cliff-top hut.”

Alec shot up to grab his coat, “Don’t stand there  wittering , Miller. Come on!”

Both women followed quickly after him, and Eve threw, “And don’t call me ‘Ma’am’,” at Ellie over her shoulder.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sped the whole way to the hut, but slowed down as they approached the car park, so that they could park discreetly. They walked up the path to the hut, and Alec held out an arm to tell the two women to hang back while he looked around the back of the hut. Eve and Ellie slowly crept up to the front door. Eve went to open it when it flew open connecting with her head in the process. She groaned as her vision swam.

Ellie held her up as she yelled, “Sir!” She looked at the man running towards the boat yard, “Stop!”

Eve shrugged Ellie off as she stumbled a little before breaking into a run after the man. She could practically feel Alec and Ellie on her tail. Mid run Eve pulled radio out of her coat, “Suspect’s heading for the boat yard! West Harbor Lane!”

The suspect jumped the fence with Eve jumping it right after him. Alec and Ellie, on the other hand, went around the fence. The man went between boats causing Eve to lose sight of him as Alec ran past her while Ellie stopped next to her. 

“We know you’re in there, we’ve got the place surrounded. You can’t get out!” Ellie warned the suspect. Then, her phone rang. Eve turned to the woman as she muttered, “Bollocks.” Suddenly, both women were knocked over by the suspect pushing past them. Eve knocked her head again on a boat this time. “Sir!” Ellie called. 

All three detectives were running after the suspect again with Alec in the lead this time when he groaned, “Ah!” Grabbing the left side of his chest as he collapsed on the ground. 

Time seemed to slow around Eve as she paled. It felt like smoke was coursing its way through her veins as her world crumbled around her. She’d been so focused on chasing the suspect that she hadn’t even realized where they were, and what they were doing. Time restarted for her when she made a beeline for Alec. 

Eve gently turned him onto his back as Ellie ran up behind her, “Sir, what is it? Sir, what’s the matter?”

Eve glanced behind her and in a surprising calm voice ordered, “Get after him, Miller. I’ve got DI Hardy. Go.”

Ellie nodded as she and a few uniformed officers ran in the direction that the suspect had gone. 

Eve turned back to Alec, who was gasping for breath, but gripping tightly to her coat sleeve as she began to undo his tie. “Shh, sweetheart. You’re  gonna be okay.” She undid the top buttons of his shirt as she held the radio in her other, “Control. Ambulance required. Senior member of the Force is down.”

She tossed the radio down, not waiting for a reply as Alec’s eyes began to drift shut. Eve laughed angrily, “Oh, no. You are not dying on me. Don’t die.” She moved to his side, and positioned her hands over the middle of his chest again. She began to do compressions, pressing down with all her weight.” Eve looked with tear filled eyes at Alec’s face, “You’re not dying on my watch.” She began to press harder, “Come on!”


	14. Hope for the Future is All in the Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so this chapter is rather short compared to the others, but there were a few things I wanted to unpack before we got into the proceedings of what actually happened in the show. This honestly might be my favorite chapter that I've written so far. Hope you all enjoy!

Ellie looked on in concern as Eve bent over in the chair next to Alec’s hospital bed, gripping her hair tightly in her hands. Looking as if she was one wrong word away from ripping it out. 

“Did you...” Ellie begins to ask. 

“Did I know about the arrhythmia?” Eve finishes bitterly. “Yeah. Before he even told me. Well... when he collapsed in the bathroom of his hotel room.” 

Ellie winced slightly. She knew the redhead’s anger wasn’t directed at her. Hell, it wasn’t even directed at Alec. Ellie knew it went deeper than that. “Not what I was gonna ask. You said you get those vision thingies, right? Did you ever... you know?” 

Eve face goes blank, “Since the case started. Every night.” 

Ellie’s eyes widen, “Oh, sweetheart.” 

Eve’s eyes fill with tears, “I should’ve done something, but I didn’t... ‘cos I thought... I thought that trying to make it not happen would make it happen anyway. Instead, I just let it happen.” 

There it is. “It’s not your fault, Evelyn,” Ellie insisted. 

Eve didn’t even react to the use of her full first name, “It is though. I could’ve told the Chief Super when he had his first heart attack, but no. I kept it secret caused he begged me to, and I...” 

Ellie pulls leans over in the other chair to pull the other woman into a hug as the tears finally make their way down her face. “Sweetheart. Maybe you could’ve stopped it. Maybe you couldn’t. Doesn’t matter anymore because it happened. You can’t beat yourself over something that’s out of your control.” 

“Then why did I keep seeing it?” 

Ellie shrugged, “Maybe it was the universe’s way of preparing you.” 

Eve scoffed as she pulled away and sat back in her chair, “I don’t think I’ll ever be prepared to see the man I l... to see someone collapse like that. Barely handled it the first time.” 

Ellie’s eyes widen, “Oh! It’s not the fact that you couldn’t stop it.” 

Eve looks at her in confusion, “What?” 

Ellie pointed at the redhead, “I observe more than the two of you think I do. I learned from the best anyway... that’s you by the way. I told you that you loved him before you two even got together and you denied it flat out. Your mother asks, and you’re not sure.” 

Eve gulps, “I don’t see what you’re getting at here.” 

Ellie smirks, “Oh, I think you do.” She points at Alec, who was passed out in the hospital bed, his heart monitor beeping away at a steady beat. “He makes your chest ache, doesn’t he? Fireworks instead of butterflies? Could lose yourself in those brown eyes?” 

Eve raised an eyebrow, “Yeah. Still not getting it, El.” 

“He’s just about the only thing you spend any real time thinking about. Don’t deny it either. Think about him day and night. You’d do just about anything for him, wouldn’t you?” 

“Yeah.” 

“So, you do love him, don’t you? You love him so much its tearing you apart. And you never told him cause you didn't even realize."

Eve’s eyes widened as if she’d just had a bucket of ice water thrown on her, “Oh, God. Oh, God.” Her eyes dart to Alec, “I love him, and I never... He doesn’t know...” 

Ellie gripped her shoulder with a small smile, “Do you honestly think that man didn’t know?” 

Eve looks at her in confusion, “I never told him. How could he know?” 

“Sometimes, you can tell people you love them with your own actions, long, long before you ever even thought about saying the words.” 

Eve just sat back with her mouth open. Ellie patted her shoulder as she stood, “I’m gonna go home. See my husband and my boys. I’ll leave you to stew on that.” Eve barely noticed when the woman left the room. She just moved her chair closer to Alec, gently took the hand that didn’t have the IV in it, and stared. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 _Alec found himself standing in the living room of a house just off the beach in Broadchurch. He stared out the window at the waves crashing on the sand._

_“Hello, Mon Ráleur,” Eve’s voice said gently from behind him. He turned to see her sitting in a blue arm chair. She was just sitting there, legs crossed, book in her lap. She was barefoot, in a pair of simple black leggings with his blue jumper, which was practically a dress on her. Eve’s hair was shorter, but just as curly has he’d always seen it. The sunlight streaming in from the window behind him made it look like her hair was on fire._

_He let out a shaky breath and slowly made his way towards her, her presence calming him. This was a particular favorite memory of his. She'd gone home early from the office, and when he arrived all he saw was her. She was just... reading, enjoying the calm when she wasn’t on the clock, smiling at him. He could feel the pain in his chest melting away the longer her looked at her as he kneeled down in front of her._

_Eve reached out to stroke his cheek, “Breathe, sweetheart. Control the pain.”_

_He shook his head, “How do you always make the pain go away?”_

_She shrugs, “I suppose I give you something else to feel instead.”_

_“Like what?” He asked in confusion._

_“Whatever you like,” She answered honestly. “A nice blowjob perhaps?" She shook her head, "No. No. Not meant to get you over excited when you just had a heart attack." She smiles at him, "Love, comfort, reassurance, peace, calm, hope...”_

_“Hope?” He asked questioningly._

_She smiles softly, “Is that what you’d like me to give you?”_

_He nods, “I think I could do with a bit of that right now.”_

_Eve nods setting the book on her lap onto the coffee table before coming to kneel on the floor in front of him, “Hope it is then.” She gently took his hands with a small smile, giving him a wink... before she placed them on her stomach. “Hope for the future.”_

_He looked at her in confusion at her words before he glanced down at their hands that were pressed to her stomach. Her much larger stomach that was not at all hidden under his jumper as it stretched across the swollen bump. His eyes that were now the size of saucers went up to meet her grey ones. He blinked at her in surprise before his eyes shot back down to her swollen stomach as there was a soft kick against his right hand. “What? How?” he gaped at her. “I don’t understand...” he whispered._

_Eve’s head bent back as she cackled, “Oh, you ought to, Alec. It’s your mind.” She glanced down at her stomach, “Funny... this means you’re the first one to see visons of little one here.”_

_“Little one...” he echoed._

_Eve holds up a hand, “They’re all the hope you need.”_

_He just stared at her before noticing that the house was beginning to fade away. Eve looked around, “Oh. Looks as if you’re waking up, sweetheart.”_

_She stood up easily, pulling him with her. He gripped her arms when she turned to walk_ _away, "Wait!"_

 _She turned to him as the walls stopped dissolving for a moment, “Yes, Mon_ _Ráleur_ _?"_

_“Is this all in my mind? How are you even here?"_

_Eve smiled lovingly at him as she reached up to cup his cheek, “Of course it’s all in your mind. Doesn’t mean it isn’t real. As for the other thing? Well... Eve left a little piece of herself up here if you ever needed her, and she couldn't get to you."_

_The walls began to dissolve again, but Eve was the last thing to go. He could still feel her hand on his cheek as he was forced awake._


	15. Losing Patience

Eve had stepped out of Alec’s hospital room for a few minutes to get a cup of coffee because she was still running on practically no sleep, and after last night was not just physically exhausted, but emotionally as well. Ellie had been left to continue watching over Alec, when the man began to wake up. 

Blinking at his hazy vision, he took in Ellie sitting angrily in a chair next to his bed, dumping a bag of grapes next to his leg, “What are those? Where is Evelyn?”

Ellie’s face softened as the concern in his tired voice when he realized Eve wasn’t in the room. “Grapes, and she’s getting a  well-deserved coffee in the cafeteria.”

“What did you bring grapes for?” Alec asks confused.

“Eve loves them, and I hoped that you might choke on the seeds,” Ellie retorted.

“They’re seedless,” Alec pointed out with a grunt.

“Don’t be a smartass,” Ellie hissed.

He shifted in the bed, “I’m sensing you’re angry with me.”

“You nearly died on Eve.”

“No!” He protested.

“No, you did. She had to give you CPR, and the doctor’s told us,” She argued right back.

“They can’t do that,” he growled.

“They can when you put Eve down as your emergency contact. You discharged yourself before against their advice – heart arrhythmia. You and Eve should have told me.”

“Bloody hell! Is there no privacy here?”

“Can’t they fix you?” Ellie demanded.

Alex sighed, “They want to put a pacemaker in me. They don’t know whether I’ll survive the operation.” He glanced at the door, “Don’t tell Evelyn.”

Ellie rolled her eyes, “She’s not stupid, Alec. It wouldn’t surprise me if she already knew that bit.” She narrows her eyes at him, “How long have you been like this?”

“18 months or so. It’s got worse in the last month or two.”

Ellie leaned back in irritation, “So, you came down here, you took that case, you took that job, knowing you weren’t up to it?”

He started to sit up, “We’re nearly there, Miller. That was the killer last night. I’m sure of it.”

Ellie glared at him, “Sir, you’re unfit for duty.”

He shook his head in desperation, “I have to finish this. I can’t let the family down. Please, Miller, don’t tell the Chief Super. Please.”

“I’m going back to work,” Ellie muttered, making her way out of the room as Eve arrived back at his room.

“Miller, wait. Please don’t go, Miller. Come back, Miller. That's an order, Miller!”

Eve chuckles at Alec’s cries, “I don’t think you’re in a position to be giving orders, dear.”

Alec just stared at her as she sat down in the chair Ellie had been in, putting her feet up on his bed, holding a cup of coffee in her lap. She cocked her head at him, “You’re staring at me weird.” He just kept staring. She frowned, “Seriously. Stop that or I’m going to get a doctor to check your brain.”

“I dreamt about you,” Alec finally confesses.

Eve’s eyebrows shoot upwards as she reaches to pull a few grapes off their stems, popping one in her mouth. “Oh. Was it a naughty dream?”

Alec rolls his eyes, “No.”

“Aw. What a shame.”

“It was actually very calm. You quoted Harry Potter.”

Eve snorts, “Yeah, because you’ve read Harry Potter.” She looks at him in shock when he raises an eyebrow at her. “Oh my God! You’ve read Harry Potter.” She leans forwards with her hands in a begging position, “Please tell me you read it to Daisy when she was younger? Oh, please!”

“Yes, I read it to Daisy.”

Eve squeals lightly, “Oh, I think I love you even more now.”

Both their eyes widen at each other.

“That’s the first time you’ve said that to me,” Alec points out. “I’ve said it to you, but you’ve never said it back.”

Eve wrings her hands guiltily, “I know. I... I always knew I liked you. I didn’t realize till last night that the reason I’m so scared of losing you is because I love you.” She looks up at him with tear filled eyes, “I love you a lot, Alec. There’s not a word big enough to describe it, and I know 5 billion languages.”

“You were scared of losing me?” Alec asks softly, not wanting to tip the redhead over the edge.

She nods, “I... there was another guy a long time ago that I... I love like I love you now, but he... I got him killed. It was my fault. Laila got killed because of me. People I love tend to be killed.”

“I’m not going to be killed, Evelyn, “Alec  argues . 

“You don’t know that,” she counters lowly before shaking her head. “It’s not just that. You know how I told you Timelords and ladies can see through time. Everything that is, was, could be, or must not?”

He nods.

“I saw it, Alec. I saw you in that shipyard. Every night since this case started. That’s why haven’t been sleeping through the night. I couldn’t do anything because me trying to stop it might have made it happen, but it happened anyway, so that’s my fault too.”

Alec lightly rubs circles into her calf where it rested by his right hand, “It’s not your fault, love. It’s me and my stupid bloody  heart's fault.”

Eve laughed wetly as she pulled her legs down, so that she could scoot the chair closer to the bed, and reached out to stroke his cheek. He was reminded of his dream as her grey eyes met his, and she smiled softly, “Oh, Alec. I love you and your stupid heart.”

His laugh was cut off as her lips settled on to his. She pulled back with a smirk, “Let me guess... you want to blow this popsicle stand again?”

“God, yes,” he breathed against her lips as he pressed them to hers again. 

Eve giggled against his before pulling away again, “Won’t get out doing that, DI Hardy.”

He groans as she chucks the hospital blanket away, setting the grapes in the chair, and helping him out of the bed. She helped him pull the heart monitors’ electrodes off his chest, and get back into the clothes that he had been wearing the night before. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”SOCO are back up at the hut after last night,” Ellie explained, feeling awkward being the one to address the team. Before Hardy had come to Broadchurch, Eve had always been the one to do the briefings, but then they had both thrown her to the wolves. That had somehow been easier as they’d watched her. Now, though, with Eve sticking to Alec like glue at the hospital, she was the most superior officer. “Frank, go through out list of people of interest. Those with no alibis or questionable alibis on the night of Danny’s death. Find out their movements from last night. The likelihood is, the killer was there. We were very close. They are rattled, and they will make more mistakes.” 

She took a breath to steady herself. “Susan Wright is in custody; we’ve connected her to the site where Danny’s body was found. We’re... I’m continuing to question her, but time is running out before we have to apply for an extension. I know this may sound daft, but we need to find her dog, Vince. We have a picture. The dog is the priority. She’s very attached to it and it would help her to talk. Uniforms have turned up nothing so far.”

Another breath. “You probably know the boss was taken ill last night, during the pursuit. DI Smith is at the hospital with him, and I don’t know when they’ll be back, but we carry on. Do not get distracted. Our duty is still to the Latimer family. Thanks for everything you’ve done. Bye for now.”

The team broke up to go about doing their own tasks.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Don’t be ridiculous!” Ellie chastised Alec when she caught him walking in with Eve helping him.

“Don’t start, Miller,” he warned her with a raspy voice.

“You can’t be here,” she told him before turning to Eve with a disappointed look on her face. “Really? You helped him discharge AMA again?”

‘Well, I am,” Alec cut off any reply Eve might’ve had before using his teeth to get his medical bracelet off.

“You’ll kill yourself!” Ellie nearly shouted. 

“If that’s what it takes.”

Eve steps in front of them both with her hands raised placatingly, “Woah, woah, woah, now. I want to solve the case as much as you do, Alec, and yes I helped you discharge yourself, but it isn’t dying for.”

“Not for you two, maybe.”

“Go away, we can manage without you,” Ellie added.

Alec looked at her knowingly, “That’s what you’ve wanted right from the start. This job, the one you think I stole.”

He watches out of the corner of his eyes as Eve raises a finger to point out that he had stolen it before turning to her, “Not a word.”

Eve lowers her finger lamely as Ellie sighs, “For God’s sake, sir!”

“Come on, Miller. With me out of out you get to lead with Evelyn. Dream come true,” Alec mocked, leaning against the wall. Eve reaches out to grip his arm softly, prepared if he should suddenly collapse. 

“I wouldn’t want your jobs,” Ellie countered.

“Don’t be daft,” he scoffed. “If you get offered it, you’d take it.”

Ellie shook her head, “I’ve seen what it does to Eve and you. I wouldn’t be up for it.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he suddenly agreed getting a surprise look from both women.

“What?”

“Well, it’s a tough job,” he said. “You’ve found your level. Rural DS – keep your limits.”

“Don’t tell me what my limits are!” She yelled at him.

Eve pointed at him, “I’ll show you a limit in a minute if you keep this up.”

“Then don’t tell me to go home,” Alec rebutted. “I can still solve this. Otherwise, why am I still here?”

“It doesn’t work like that, Alec,” Eve says softly watching as his face softened. 

Ellie rolled her eyes, “For God’s sake. All right, then.”

The three detectives walked in, and everyone stopped and stared when they saw not just Eve, but Alec walk in. Alec just went to his  office, and shut the door, leaning against it. 

Eve shook her head as they kept staring before making shooing motions with her hands, “Shows over. Back to work! We have a murder to solve.”

Everyone went back to work, and the redhead turned to Ellie, “Hey, could I borrow your phone for a minute? Have to make a phone call, and mine’s dead since I wasn’t at home to charge it, and I’d rather not use my stupid landline.”

Elle nods, “Sure.” She hands her phone to Eve, and watches as the redhead heads to her office, shutting the door behind her. Tapping a way for a minute before making a phone call. 

At least that’s what it looked like from outside the office. Inside was a different story. Eve pulled up the recent calls log on Ellie’s phone, and looked at the phone call that the woman had gotten in the middle of the pursuit. It was an effort to keep a straight face when she saw the name. Then, to keep up appearances, she typed in her home phone number, and let it ring. Leaving a pointless voicemail about picking up more lemon tea.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve waited patiently as Alec spoke with CS Jenkinson, but as soon as the woman had left the office, she shot in herself, and shut the door. 

Alec looked at her in concern when he was the terrified look on her face, “What’s wrong?”

Eve sat down on the couch, her leg bouncing up and down, “Ellie got a phone call last night in the middle of the pursuit. I lied saying that I had to make a phone call, and instead checked the phone number that called her.”

“Who was it?” Alec had a sinking suspicion that he knew what she was going to say.

Eve sighed. “It was Joe,” she whispered. She glanced behind her, “I’m getting the anonymous call traced, but I’d bet everything I have that it was Danny’s missing phone, and that it was Joe that made both calls.”

Alec nodded. He had to admit that Eve made a good argument.

There was a knock on the office door, and both DIs looked to see Ellie poking her head in, “Are you two done?”

Eve nodded, “Yeah, come on in.”

Alec leaned back in his office chair, “Bring me up to speed with great economy.”

Ellie nodded sitting down on the couch on Eve’s right, “Er... Susan Wright’s alibi for the night of Danny’s death checks out. The owner of the caravan park saw her sitting on the window watching TV with her dog when he left, about 1:30. They’d had a birthday party in the bar, which is why he was so late leaving that night. We’ve had a match at the hut on the cliff for her DNA and prints, but the owner has already confirmed she does clean there. No matches for any DNA on Danny’s body.”

“So, she didn’t kill Danny?”

“But she knows something, I’m sure of it,” Ellie said with certainty.

“Don’t sit here talking to me, go, take Eve, and get it out of her! Go on,” He goaded until both women left the room. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Both women marched into the interview room with a purpose. They were done messing about, and would get the information they needed, even if they had to drill her all day.

Eve had her pen at the ready as Ellie spouted off, “Four cigarettes matching the brand you smoke got excavated close to the spot where Danny’s body was found. There are traces from the skateboard in your cupboard. Your prints are on it, as are Danny’s. You lied to us about Mark Latimer getting the keys to the hut. What were you doing on the beach near...”

“Where’s my dog?” Susan interrupted. “Where’s Vince?”

“I understand from your record...” Ellie tried to get back on track.

“Neither of you understand anything... loves,” Susan snarled.

Eve tilted her head dangerously, “Susan. We’ve been on this case for a long time now. You’ve tried my patience this entire time, and I’m about at the end of my reserves when it comes to mercy. That is not a good place to stand with me. If you do not tell us how you came to have Danny’s skateboard. I will have you charged. You will be in custody. Then, when we find your dog, I will have him put down, and believe me, I lost my dog recently myself, so I know how much that hurts. So... why don’t you cooperate a little and tell us what happened that night?”

Ellie couldn’t help the smirk that came to her face. She had always and would more than likely love watching Eve cut loose a little. Let out a bit of anger now and then. 9 times out of 10 the woman was one of the most unruffled people you’d ever met. 

Susan’s smug look dropped at the threats against her dog. “I was just going out, up from my caravan. Up the hill onto the cliff top. When we got up there... I saw it.”

“Saw what?” Ellie and Eve asked in tandem.

“The boy... lying there.”

“Anything else?” Ellie questioned.

Susan shrugged, “We walked back down the hill onto the beach.”

“And what time was this?” Eve asked in an exasperated tone as her pen scratched against the paper of her journal. 

“Three, maybe four.”

“That’s when you walk your dog?” Ellie asked in mild disbelief.

“It’s lovely during the night round here.”

“So, you walked down onto the beach...” Ellie led her.

“He was all... splayed out. The skateboard was next to him. He was beautiful.”

Eve grimaced. She’d seen plenty of dead bodies in her life, and she’s never described one as beautiful. She looked up at Susan, “Have you got children?”

“Yeah.”

“If you’ve got kids, I don’t understand how you could stand over Danny’s body, smoke and then carry on walking your dog,” Ellie berated her.

“I knew he’d be found,” Susan insisted. “I didn’t want to get involved. You people destroyed my family.”

“How?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Ellie and Eve shared a look. “It does, because it affected how you were when you saw Danny’s body,” Ellie pushed.

Pain flashed across Susan’s face. “We had two girls. My husband was an electrician. He used to have sex with the oldest, but I didn’t know,” she insisted the last part. “Then, he tried it on with the young one. Her sister was having none of it. She wanted to protect her little baby sister. So, she got herself killed. He told me she’d gone traveling.” Susan scoffed. “She’d never said nothing to me. After a while, people started asking questions. Then, you lot came, took the young one in to care, arrested him.” She paused and both women could see the anger simmering in the older woman. “He told them that I knew... that I was part of it, but... I didn’t know. I never knew.” Susan was quiet for a moment, hesitating to continue. “I was pregnant. Social Services came. They took the baby. They said I wasn’t a fit mother. Everything I told the police got twisted, thrown back at me. He was convicted. Got life. Hung himself in his cell ten months later.”

There was a pregnant pause before Susan whispered, “Death. Once it's got its claws into you... it never let's go.” She looked at Eve, “I think you know that, don’t you?” Eve didn’t react at all to that question, but she could almost feel her heart stop. She did understand. Susan went on when she didn’t get a reaction out of the DI, “When I was standing on that beach, looking at that boy’s body, I just kept wondering if... if my girl looked that peaceful after he killed her.” She held back tears with a sniff, “I don’t think she did.”

The room was silent for a minute except for the flutter of pages as Eve looked through her notes briefly. She looked back up at Susan with a raised eyebrow, “What I don’t get it, I know those cliffs. I’ve given enough geography lessons on them by now that I know them like the back of my hand. I’ve even walked my dog up there before she died. So, I know that if you’re walking you dog, you can’t see straight down. You’d have to be right on the edge to see Danny’s body lying on the beach. The angle’s all wrong.”

“So, what you’re saying doesn’t ring true,” Ellie finishes.

Susan didn’t seem bothered, “If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem.”

Ellie glared at her, “I think you saw more than you’re telling us. So, have a good think, or I will charge you for obstructing a murder inquiry.”

“I didn’t see anything.”

“Like you didn’t see what your husband was up to?” Ellie asked. “You were out walking when Danny’s body was laid on the beach. What did you see?”

Susan frowned, “A boat. I wasn’t on the cliffs. I was on the beach. I saw a boat come in.”

“What sort of boat?”

“Little... like a rowing boat, but it had a motor on the back. I saw it come into shore,” she confessed.

Eve nodded in approval, “Now, we’re getting somewhere. How many people were on the boat?”

“One.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Certain,” Susan insisted. “I saw him get off.”

“Him?” Ellie questioned. “Are you sure it was a man?”

“Yeah.”

“And what did that person do?”

“He carried the body off the boat... and laid it on the beach. Then, he got back on the boat and went off.”

“Which direction?”

“West.”

Eve leaned forwards a bit in her seat, “Did you recognize the man that laid Danny’s body on the beach, Susan?” Both women watched the change in the older woman’s face. “Susan?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I did.”


	16. Closing in and Running out of Time

The three detectives arrived at Nigel Carter’s house, and it seemed as if he was waiting for us. He turned to his mothers, “Go back inside, Mum.” He began to be led by a uniformed police officer to a squad car, “Ellie, take her back inside, please.”

Ellie gently led Nigel’s mother back into the house while Alec and Eve headed towards the shed. Eve frowned at the disarray, “Why can’t sheds ever be organized?”

“Because not everyone had undiagnosed ADHD, and hyper fixates on cleaning the entire house like you do, love,” Alec retorts. 

“Hardy, har, har...” Eve mutter sarcastically as Alec opens as storage cupboard to reveal several shotguns. Eve frowns, “Oh. That’s not good.”

Alec reaches up to toss away a tarp that was covering a crossbow, and they share a look at the sound of a dog barking, which turned into a whimper. 

Eve goes to open the back door. “Please, don’t be hurt. Please, don’t be hurt,” she chants to herself with her eyes closed before opening the door to reveal a chocolate lab. Vince, Susan Wright’s dog. Eve puts her hands on her hips, pushing back her black velvet suit jacket that she’d worn for two days, “Well  looky ,  looky what we have here. The missing dog.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve, Alec, and Ellie were sat on a wall by the water at the docks. Eve had her head on Alec’s right shoulder, playing with his fingers. 

“Right,” Alec spoke up causing Eve to lift her head from his shoulder to look at him, but her hands continued to play with his fingers. “Miller, you take Susan. Evelyn and I will take Nigel. Find out how she knows him, what the connection is. We’ll see where he says he was that night, and why the hell he had her dog.”

Both women noticed how his voice got a bit tight at the end. “Are you sure you’re alright to question him? Are you feeling, okay?” 

“Spectacular,” Alec said getting off the wall as Eve let go of his hand. 

Eve waited till Alec was out of earshot before she leaned over to Ellie, “I wouldn’t let him do it if I didn’t think he could handle it. Besides, why do you think I’ll be in with Nigel as well?”

Ellie nods, “He’s still a jackass.”

Eve cackled, “Oh, that he is, but  he’s my jackass.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Run me through where you were the night Danny Latimer was killed,” Alec asked Nigel. 

“We went through all this weeks ago, when you had Mark in,” Nige complained. “I was home  with my mum and we  was watching  telly .”

“What were you watching?”

“Um... a show about backing. Mum loves that,” Nige remembered.

Eve slid a photo of Susan Wright across the table, “Do you know this woman, Nigel?”

“Don’t think so,” he shrugged with one shoulder.

Eve  tisked as she wrote in her journal

“Do you own a dog?” Alec asked.

“Not really.”

Alec’s eyebrow raised, “Not really? What, sometimes you do? The dog comes around part-time?”

“No,” Nige chuckled.

“This amusing to you?” Alec questioned with a straight face.

“I can assure you this is not the time to be messing about, Nigel,” Eve added.

Nige frowned, “I don’t own a dog.”

“Why was there a dog in you back garden?” Alec asked.

“Someone asked me to look after it for ‘ em ,” he lied.

The two DIs shared an exasperated look before Alec tapped the photo of Susan Wright. “The owner? This woman? Susan Wright? Who you said you didn’t know.”

Nige frowned again when he was caught in his lie.

“If you’re  gonna lie, you have to be consistent. ‘Cos then there’s the issue of your alibi for the night of Danny’s death. The one you told us about when we were interviewing Mark. It was good enough then, but not now. Your Mum already told us you weren’t in all that night. You went out at half ten for last orders, she said, when we had Mark Latimer here. So, were where you, Nigel?”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”You must know Nigel pretty well to recognize him at night from that distance. When did you last see Nigel?” Ellie questioned Susan.

“A couple of weeks ago. He came to the caravan. He had a crossbow. Threatened to kill me,” Susan answered.

Ellie nodded, “Okay. Why did he do that?”

“You’ll have to ask him,” Susan deflected.

“No. I’m asking you.”

Susan scowled, “He didn’t like what I was saying.”

“What were you saying?”

“Don’t remember,” she shrugged.

Ellie looked at her with disbelief. “Don’t remember what you said to make a man threaten you with a crossbow?”

Susan smirked, “No, not really.”

“It happens a lot to you, does it?”

“Off and on. It  ain’t always a crossbow,” Susan said smugly.

“So, Nigel threatens you for some unknown reason and you frame him as the killer?” Ellie guessed.

Susan scowled, “It was him carrying that body.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”How do you know Susan Wright?” Alec interrogated.

“I don’t want to talk about her,” Nige said angrily. “You should have her arrested, have her in for  harassment . I told her to leave me alone, but she wouldn’t.”

“When did she start harassing you?”

“The moment she got here. Like... four or five months back,” Nige shrugged.

Eve frowned as she started doing a few calculations in her head.

“What was she harassing you about?’

Nige didn’t answer, averting his eyes instead. 

“Susan Wright told us she believes you killed Danny Latimer. She said she saw you on the beach with a boat, dragging Danny’s body.”

“She’s lying.”

“Did you drag Danny’s body onto the beach?”

Nige was silent.

“Did you kill Danny?”

“No, he’s my best mate’s boy. Why would I?” Nigel denied vehemently.

“Then why is Susan Wright saying otherwise? What’s she got to harass you about?” Alec pushed him.

Both men and the solicitor looked at Eve as she gasped loudly. She pointed at Nigel knowingly, “Oh, that’s it isn’t it?”

“What is?” Nigel asked in confusion.

Eve leaned forwards to rest her elbows on the table, “You’re  adopted, aren’t you?”

“My mum raised me, so she’s my mum as far as I’m concerned.”

Eve moved her arm slightly to glance at her notes, “In her interview with me earlier, Susan Wright said that she had a baby that was taken by Social Services. That was you, wasn’t it?” She didn’t let him answer as she kept going. “She came down here looking for you now that the laws changed and parents can request contact. She came to you and you want nothing to do with her?”

Nigel nodded, “Yeah.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Her son?” Ellie asked Eve and Alec as they took a small breather to reconvene in the hallway. “And she’s accusing him of murder? What’s going on between them two?”

“You’d better ask her,” Alec said while Eve shook her head tiredly with her eyes closed.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Susan reluctantly confessed, “They took him away from me when everything happened. 25 years. Then, the law changed. You could request contact. Took me 18 months to track him down.”

“And then you roll into town and tell him he’s your son,” Ellie guessed.

“He reacted badly. Didn’t want nothing to do with me. He threatened me with a crossbow,” Susan emphasized.

“Does he know about your family, about what happened?”

Susan scowled, “You don’t tell him.”

Ellie shook her head, “What I’m having trouble, with if you’re his mum and you want to be reconciled with  him, why did you tell us he was on the beach that night? I’m a mum, and whatever my child had done, I would want to protect them.”

“I am protecting him,” Susan insisted. “I told you because I’m scared. For him. Because it’s not his fault. If he’s his father’s son, what  is he capable of? What might he have done? I can’t just let it happen. Not again.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”I didn’t know I was adopted until she came,” Nige explained.

“And when she told you, you reacted by threatening to kill her with a crossbow?” Alec asked sarcastically.

Nige cringed, “I know, and that was stupid, but with everything that was going on, she... she didn’t belong here. There’s enough to deal with.”

“Nigel, you need to tell us  where you were the night Danny died.”

“That night... I went out, just for a couple of hours. I went to the estate. Past Oak Farm. They’ve been laying down pheasants, so I just went and got a couple. I mean, he’s got dozens. He  don’t even know,” Nige admitted.

“You were nicking pheasants?” Alec asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” Nige nodded. “The butcher in town takes ‘ em off my hands. It’s not like... like I’m  gonna make me fortune working with Mark. But... I forgot to fill up the van. So, um... I siphoned some diesel out of his tractor, and then I cut through the barbed-wire fence to make it look like a break-in. But I was nowhere near that beach. Whatever she though she saw, she didn’t.”

Eve shook her head a little. It all comes full circle. This case started with her and Alec at that farm’s field, and now it was slowly coming to a close with them solving that mystery. 

“So, she’s lying?” Alec poised.

“Mate, I don’t even know who she is,” Nige insisted.

Alec paused, looking between the man across the table, and the file sitting in front of Eve. “Do you want to know... who she is?” He pulled the file towards himself, “Because... in here there are newspaper articles about her. About her husband.” He slid the file towards him, “It’s your family, Nigel.” Alec leaned over to the recorder, “Interview paused 3:02 P.M.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”You did what?” Ellie berated Alec when he told her that he’d given Nigel the file on Susan Wright.

“He wanted to know,” Alec justified.

“I promised her!”

“What did you do that for?” he asked as the trio headed into his office.

“I was gaining her trust!”

“We were gaining his,” Alec rebutted. “We have to cut through what’s connected to Danny and what isn’t.”

“You’re the only one running out of time. These are people’s lives your trampling on. I should make a complaint,” Ellie’s voice rose.

Alec gave her a look as  he man handled Eve, who was standing in the doorway with an amused look the rest of the way into his office, and shut the door, “Go ahead. Add it to the list. Evelyn and I will sign it for you. He’s a suspect. He was seen with the body. The information I gave him has bearing on the witness who is accusing him.”

“You should have let her tell him,” Ellie insisted. “I don’t believe Nigel was capable of killing Danny.”

“Neither do I quite frankly,” Eve spoke up. 

“Everyone we have interviewed is capable in the right circumstances,” Alec argued.

“That’s your view of the world. I don’t know how you sleep,” Ellie commented.

“Who says I sleep?” Alec answers distractedly as he reads the report that had been left on his desk.

“Eve does.”

Alec looked up at Eve as he held out the report to her, “Have you seen this? The trace you had on the call that phoned in to tell us the light was on in the hut. It’s Danny’s mobile. It’s the missing smartphone. You were right.”

Eve pales as she takes the report. She grimaces at it. 

“Oh, my God,” Ellie said mostly to herself.

“The killer phoned in. Why would he do that? Why tell us where they were and then run? That doesn’t make sense,” Alec lamented, leaning against his wall. “Oh, for God’s sake. As if working with Miller wasn’t annoying enough.” Ellie looks at him indignantly. “What are they playing at?”

Eve sets the paper gently on his desk, “Well... hear me out, but maybe they were trying to turn themselves in?” Alec and Ellie looked at her in confusion. “We know the murder wasn’t planned, so maybe the guilt of that has eaten away at them over the past few weeks, and when he saw us walking up to the hut... he panicked. Made a run for it.”

Alec practically beamed at her, “That’s outstanding, Evelyn. Bloody brilliant.” Eve blushes at his praise. Alec composed himself, “All right. Get Nigel and Susan released on bail. Have them lodge their passports here and report in every day. No skipping town.”

“You’re going to let them both out there, together?” Ellie asked incredulously. 

“I’ll cobble together some surveillance. Use some of those numpties they drafted in. Maybe Nigel and Susan are both lying. Let’s see what happens when they’re released.”

“Light the blue touch paper and then retire?” Ellie snarked.

“We’re running out of time,” Alec insisted as his phone rang.

“Well, you might be, but Eve is a DI too, she can lead.”

“Hello - Yeah. We’ll be right over,” he hung up and grabbed his and Eve’s coat that was hanging next to his on the coat rack. He tossed her the coat before leaving his office, and Eve quickly put it on before hurrying after him.

Ellie partly followed them, “Over where?” Alec ignored her. “You... Ugh!”

As Alec reached for the door to the hallway, his vision went hazy for a moment. His hand slipped off the door handle, and he fell against it. Eve put a gently hand on his shoulder with a worried, but questioning look. He could see over her shoulder that some of the PCs were watching them. He shook her off gently, and they made their way out of the office.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”I’ve got something for you,” Paul told Eve and Alec, holding a box of computer bits. “This is Tom Miller’s laptop. I caught him smashing it up in the woods.”

“You just stumbled across him?” Alec asked as Eve held out her arms to take the box. 

“Paul shrugged, “I was out walking. It’s the route I take.”

“Do you know what he was trying to get rid of?” Eve asked as she dug through the box a little.

“I’ve no idea,” Paul answered honestly.

“Why did he do that, just after his best mate’s died?” Alec questioned.

“Were they best friends?” Paul countered. “I didn’t see much evidence of it. I had to break up a fight between them.”

Eve looked at him in surprise, “What?”

“When was this?” Alec asked.

“A couple of months ago. They were having a row. Tom was really, really laying into Danny, and he’s that much bigger. I reported it to both sets of parents. I thought Ellie would have told Eve at least,” Paul explained. 

Both DIs shake their heads. “No. She didn’t mention it,” Eve denies.

Paul nodded before he looked nervous, “Look, I should tell you that Tom Knows I have this. He threatened to tell you that I abused Danny, if I handed it over.”

“He said that?” Alec asked with surprise in his tone. “And did you... abuse Danny?”

“No,” Paul answered strongly.

“What were you talking to Tom Miller about at Jack Marshall’s wake?”

“I was just making sure he was okay.”

Alec stared at him for a moment before nodding, “Thanks.”

As they walked back to Eve’s car, Alec glanced between the box and the redhead. “Can you get stuff off a damaged hard drive?”

Eve smirks, “Any day, dear. Any day.”

“Will you send whatever you find to my personal email?”

Eve nods, “Of course.” 

Alec leans downs to press a kiss to her temple, “You’re a star.”

Eve giggles before she looks at serious, “You’re starting to think it’s Joe to aren’t you?’

“Yeah.”

She sighs, “I hope we’re wrong.”

Alec puts an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side, “I hope so too.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was understandably confused when Alec had her stop at the  _ Broadchurch Echo _ before they headed back to the office. “What exactly are we doing here?” Eve asked curiously.

“Oliver approached me, knows about last night. He wanted an exclusive, and I agreed,” Alec explained. 

Eve rolled her eyes, “You’re an idiot.”

“Mmm... you love me anyway though.”

“Yeah, I do,” Eve says quietly.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”All right. Can you take us through what happened last night” Oliver asked Alec as he sat down. Eve pulled a chair up to sit just behind him on his right.

Alec rubbed at his eyes tiredly, “I was pursuing a suspect. There was an incident and I was injured.”

“Can you name the suspect?” Maggie asked.

Alec glanced at Eve over his shoulder, “No, and I’m asking you don’t publish this yet. Give me a couple of days.”

Maggie and Oliver shared a look, but the older woman agreed. “All right. Oliver just has a couple of questions first.”

“Oh, does he?” Alec responded sarcastically.

“The Sandbrook case fell apart at the trial. Tell me what went wrong.” Oliver requested.

Eve let out a breath with wide eyes at that. Alec’s face dropped, “Are you serious?”

Maggie grinned, “He’s more than serious. He’s my protégé.”

Eve grimaced.

“We’ve seen you here. We know you’re doing your best for the family, the town. I don’t think it was any different in Sandbrook. So, tell me what happened. How did it all go wrong? You can’t keep it secret forever,” Oliver pointed out.

Alec glanced back at Eve again, who was smiling encouragingly at him. He sighed, “Maybe you’re right.”

Maggie and Oliver shared an excited look, sitting at attention.

“Maybe it is time.” He looked down at the table. “We had our prime suspect, but all of the evidence was circumstantial. Um... but then during a... search of a car that he’d just sold... one of my DSs found a pendant... belonging to one of the girls. There were clearly prints on it. It was the smoking gun. My DS was taking the bagged evidence back to HQ... and... she... stopped at a hotel for a drink and her car was broken into. The car radio and valuable in her bag were all taken. Just a quick smash and grab. Local kids, probably.”

“And the pendant?” Oliver guessed.

Alec nodded, “Yeah. We couldn’t make the case after that, so he’s still out there.”

Oliver frowned, “Why did she stop off at a hotel?”

“She was having an affair with one of the other DSs on the team. She thought she’d celebrate.”

“But this was all reported at the time,” Maggie pointed out. “The Herald got the story, but they said it was you, your car. You took the blame.”

Alec nodded, “It happened on my watch.”

“She deceived you,” Oliver added.

Alec grimaced, “This detective sergeant... she was my wife.”

Eve barely managed to hold in her gasp. She’d always known the reports on the Sandbrook case weren’t telling the whole picture. She knew Alec hadn’t lost the pendant, and she knew it’d been a DS, but she didn’t realize that... it had been his wife.

“We have a daughter, and I didn’t want her knowing that about her mother.”

Eve smiled softly at the back of his head, leaning forwards to squeeze his shoulder. He reached up to squeeze her hand back.

“So... you took the blame, “Maggie realized. “You took all that flak for years. The family think it’s you, but you didn’t do it. This is what made you ill, isn’t it?”

“People need to know about this,” Oliver insisted.

“Do they? Really?” Alec rebutted. The only person he wanted to know about it did now. “Why?” He sighed. “Just do me a favor and tell the family first, will you? Just tell them I haven’t given up on Sandbrook and that the case is still open,” his voice broke as he spoke, and Eve squeezed his shoulder again. “And then you do whatever you like with that. Call your friend Karen. This is what she’s always wanted.” He leaned forwards causing Eve’s hand to slide down to the space between his shoulder blades, “On one condition. You do not name that DS.”

Both journalists agreed, and Alec nodded, “Right. Well, I’m done.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Quietly, Eve and Alec walked back towards the redhead’s car. Said redhead turned to him with a loving look on her face, “I love you.”

Alec looks at her in confusion, “I know. I love you too.”

Eve smiles, “I know you know. Now that I’ve opened the damn, I can’t quite get it closed again. Expect to hear it a lot more.”

Alec smiled softly, “Tell me as often as you like.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had holed herself up in forensics with Tom’s laptop, so that Ellie wouldn’t find out that they had it. 

“Miller?” Alec called, standing in the doorway of his office. “Forensics from the hut. Boot print in the mud up the hill matches one they found inside. It’s a man’s size ten. What’s Nigel Carter’s shoe size?”

Elle shifted through her notes, “Ten. So, what? You think Susan did she Nige?”

“Are we missing something here? What if another person was involved?”

“Is this something for the morning?” Ellie sighed.

Alec nodded. “Oh, by the way. Your boy and Danny. Did they fall out?”

“No,” Ellie answered, looking confused.

“Paul Coates, the vicar, said there was a fight. He mentioned it  it to you,” Alec told her.

She shook her head, “No, he didn’t. Are you saying I’ve been covering for my son?”

“No,” he replied calmly.

“You do that when you’re on the back foot. You lash out,” she accused.

“When did Danny last come up to your house?”

“It’s 2 A.M. I don’t know,” Ellie groaned. “Not everyone is  a half alien like Eve, who can keep up with your sleeplessness.”

“Last month? Last two months?” Alec questioned.

“A bit longer,” she ground out.

“Can Eve borrow Tom’s computer?”

“Fine. Good night. Tell, Eve I say Good Night to her too.” Then, she left. 

A few minutes later, Eve walked into his office pale with a haunted look on her face. She nodded to his computer, “Check your email?”

He did as he was told, and pulled up the email Eve had sent him. Alec’s eyes widened before the flicked over to Eve, who shakily sat down on the couch. “Of course, Shit.”


	17. We All Really Want to be Wrong Sometimes

The next morning, Alec watched from his seat on the bed as Eve stuck her black studded belt through the loop of her purple pants, which he wasn’t surprised to find matched the rest of her outfit. He’d long since figured out that she liked to wear all one color if she could, and had multiple colors of suit jackets for just this purpose. 

“Evelyn?” He called to her lightly as she pulled her purple velvet blazer over her long sleeve purple bodysuit. 

She turned to him with blood shot eyes. Neither of them had slept last night, and Eve was getting dangerously close to her limit on far as how long she could go without a decent night’s rest. “Yes?” She replied.

“What size shoe is Joe?” Alec asked her the question that had been plaguing him.

The redhead thought for a minute as she came over to do his tie that was still just hanging around his neck. “10, I think. Why?”

“You were downstairs when the forensics report came back from the hut. Men’s size 10 in the mud and inside.”

Eve tightens his tie silently before her hands play with the two ends distractedly. Alec wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and down onto his lap. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around her, resting her head on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of just sitting like that, embraced in each other's arms, Eve pulled back, her arms sliding up to rest around his neck as she looked at him sadly. “I really wanted to be wrong.”

Alec gently kisses her before resting his forehead against hers, “I know. Me too.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had dropped Alec off at the hospital for his meeting with the Chief Medical Officer, and had taken her time heading back to CID. She was dreading having to face Ellie, and not let on about anything. She was somewhat relieved to see that Ellie wasn’t in the office, and secluded herself in her office until Alec arrived back from his appointment. 

She was fixing herself a long since cold cup of coffee when Alec walked in, and she handed him the tea she’d made him. However, CS Jenkinson came over to the pair to hand a piece of paper over to Alec, “Office to be cleared by the end of the day, please.”

Eve frowned as Alec took the paper. He sighed, “We think we know who the killer is.” Then, the two DIs began to walk back towards Alec’s office. 

“Well, don’t walk away from me.” The kept walking. “Alec! Evelyn!”

“Don’t call me Evelyn!” Eve shouted before the door to Alec’s office slammed shut.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

Alec and Eve were whispering quietly amongst themselves when Ellie walked in explaining that her sister had come forward with a witness statement. Eve and Alec both looked confused. 

“Your sister? Why is she just coming in with this now?” Alec questioned.

“I think something jogged her memory,” Ellie remarked looking to her left.

Eve raised an eyebrow, but decided against calling Ellie out on her white lie.

“Did you find your boy’s computer?”

“He said it’d been stolen.”

Eve and Alec shared a look.

“Do you believe him?”

Ellie shook her head, “No.”

“I called them, asked them to come in,” Alec confesses.

“What, today?” Ellie asked. “You called them without telling me?”

“Well, I’m telling you now.”

Eve could practically smell the argument brewing, and held up a hand, “What’s the word on surveillance?”

“Susan Wright’s caravan is completely empty, all cleared out, no sign of her or the dog,” Ellie reported.

Eve sighed heavily in exasperation. 

“She’s just vanished?” Alec asked in annoyance. “Our key witness has just disappeared? Great.”

“What about Nigel?” Eve questioned. 

“The surveillance team lost him.”

“Oh, for the love of God! Are we the only competent ones in this office?” Eve raised her voice.

“So, where is he?” Alec asked.

“They don’t know. They said he shook ‘ em off when he disappeared down a back alley.”

“Oh, what is the matter with you people, he’s a major suspect! Get uniform, scour the area, bring him here now, do you understand?” Alec ordered.

Ellie nodded before leaving. 

Eve pinched the bridge of her nose as the headache that had been brewing all morning increased in intensity.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”My computer got nicked, at school. I left it in a bag and then it was gone,” Tom lied.

“Yeah,” Alec sighed as Eve crossed one leg over the other in disappointment as she wrote away in her journal. “You mustn’t lie to us, Tom.” Alec produced a white tub containing multiple bags of the destroyed computer. “Paul Coates said you threatened to accuse him of all sorts of shenanigans if he was to give this over to us.”

Joe looked at Tom in shock, “You threatened the vicar?”

“Why’d you smash it up, Tom?” Alec asked.

“It had my emails with Danny on it,” Tom  admitted reluctantly.

Alec pulled out a stack of papers with the print outs of the emails that Eve had sent him the night before, “And these are your emails?”

“How did you get those?” Tom asked, scared.

“They were stored on your server,” Alec explained. He nodded to his left where Eve was sitting, “DI Smith was able to recover them. We haven’t seen these before. Danny was using a different address to the one on his home computer. You’re the only person he wrote from this address.” He paused, making a show of looking through the papers as if he didn’t have them memorized. “No, no. I see you and one other person.”

Eve’s eyes drifted from Tom’s face to Joe, who looked a little uncomfortable. 

“I think he sent them from his phone,” Tom guessed.

“Where’d he  get his phone from?” Alec asked. Although, Eve had already explained to him her theory on the phone. She’d pointed out that Ellie had said that she’d always seen Danny with a phone like Tom’s, and if it was Joe that was having regular contact with Danny then it was very likely that he got him a phone like the one Tom has.

“He said he saved up from his paper round.”

It was silent before Eve uncrossed her leg, and leaned forwards towards Tom, “Why did you never mention in your previous interview that you and Danny had a falling out?”

“I thought you already knew,” the boy answered.

Eve shakes her head, “We didn’t. I thought you and Danny would’ve been able to work it out. I mean, I made friends with DI Hardy, but I didn’t go tell you mum I never wanted to see her again.”

“In these emails, Danny’s asking you to stay away from him. Says he doesn’t want to see you anymore and you’re no longer friends. Why was that?” Alec asked curiously as Eve sat back in her chair.

Tom frowned, fidgeting and staring at his hands, “He said he’d found a new friend. Someone who understood him better than me.”

Alec nodded, “You write to Danny...” he held the paper a bit further away, so that he could read it without his glasses. “’I wish you were dead.’ He replies, ‘Wishing won’t make it happen.’ You email back, ‘I could kill you if I wanted.’”

“Oh, for God’s sake, it’s just kids, just boys falling out,” Joe intercepted. 

Eve holds up her  hand, "Let Tom talk.”

“Did you kill Danny, Tom?” Alec askes bluntly.

“Come on!” Joe called out.

Alec glared at him, “I’m talking to your son, Joe, not you.” He turned back to Tom, and his tone lowered, “Now, if you’re lying to me, Tom, there’ll be very serious consequences. If you want to tell me you were involved in Danny’s death...”

Joe stood up causing Eve to flinch, “That’s enough. You want to question him like that, we need a solicitor.” He gestured for his son to get ready to leave.

“Fine. We’re done for now,” Alec accepted. “We need a DNA sample. Then, you can go.” He made a show of collecting evidence while Eve got up to stop the camera. Alec stopped them before they could leave. “Oh, Tom... What is your shoe size, Tom?”

“A five,” Tom replied with confusion.

Alec wrote that down before not even looking up as he opened up Eve’s journal that she’d set down on the table to look at the number written down in the margins of her numerous notes. “What about you, Joe?”

“Err... ten,” Joe answered as they walked away. 

“All right.”

Alec and Eve caught eyes with Joe as him and Tom passed the windows of the interview room. Alec looked at the pale look on Eve’s face, “You’ve got that look on again.”

“What look would that be?” Eve asked distractedly still looking out the window.

“Your ‘I really want to be wrong’ face.”

Eve looks at him sadly, “Can you blame me?”

Alec shook his head, “No.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The three  detectives stood on the beach underneath the cliffs, winds billowing their hair and coats.

“Sir, why’d you call me all the way down here? What’s going on?” Ellie asked Alec.

“I was here before,” He started, but ignoring her question. “On this beach. I came here as a kid. With a tent. Some campsite near the cliff. I tried looking for it when I first came,” he revealed gesturing vaguely to the area. 

Eve looked fascinated as she looked around, trying to picture Alec as a little boy on the beach, playing in the sand. Ellie, on the other hand, looked at him with shock, “You came on holiday to Broadchurch?” With the way he talked about the town, it made it seem like he absolutely hated it.

“Didn’t remember it was here till the day I arrived. It freaked me out. Those bloody cliffs still there,” he waved his hands towards them. “Still the same. I used to sit under them and get away from my parents arguing. They kept bickering till the day Mum died. Last thing she ever said to me - ‘God will put you in the right place even if you don’t know it at the time.’” He looked down at Eve, who was looking at him with a soft smile, one he happily returned, “She would’ve adored you.”

Eve’s smiled turned to a knowing one, “I’m sure I would’ve liked her a lot too.”

“Sorry to interrupt an intimate moment,” Ellie cuts in, “but what are you saying all that for?” She could sense something was wrong. Alec had never been open with her about anything. It was always Eve. He told Eve everything personal, and Eve just passed it along if it ever came up. 

However, before Alec could answer, Ellie’s phone rang. She answered it, holding it up to her ear. Ellie turned to both DIs, her face perking up, “Danny’s phone is on. They’re tracing the signal. The killer must have switched it on. They can track the signal.”

Alec and Eve shared a worried look before he held out his hand for Ellie’s phone, “Get back and question Nigel Carter. Get the truth out of him.” Once Ellie handed the phone to him, he barked at the person on the other end, “This is Hardy. Will you send the tracking signal coordinates to DI Smith’s phone? Good.” He hung up handing the phone back to Ellie, “Go, go. Go!” 

Ellie seemed hesitant to leave, and Eve smiled gently, “It’s alright, El. Go. We got this.” Ellie nodded before she started to walk away.

She paused when Alec called out to her, “Miller...” She turned around to look at him. “You’ve done good work on this. Well done.”

Ellie looked at him suspiciously before continuing to walk away. Eve raised an eyebrow as her phone dinged with the coordinates, “Good going, Mon  Ráleur . Now, she  definitely knows that somethings up. It’s normally me you compliment.”

“I don’t want her knowin’ until we’re sure,” he defended. 

Eve sighed as she pulled her phone out, “I know.” She looked at the coordinates, “It’s Ellie’s house.” She looked at him, holding a hand out, “Best detective inspector duo in Broadchurch?”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Oh, always. You love me anyway though.”

“ Aye, that I do,” he agreed taking her hand.


	18. It's All Coming Together

”Just pull up here,” Alec told Eve. “Not too close.” She nodded as she pulled up, and put her car into park. They got out and Alec followed her across the field that separated the Miller’s house from the Latimer’s. Halfway across the field, Eve pulled out a scrunchie, and quickly tied her hair in a low ponytail as if she were expecting something to go down.

When they reached the front door, Eve stopped Alec as he went to open it, and instead pointed in the direction of the back garden, “Tom’s home. Joe won’t want to arrested in front of his son. He’ll be in the shed.” He nodded, taking the lead as they went through the back gate, into the garden. 

Eve could feel her heart stop when they walked into the shed and saw Joe, surrounded by bicycles and all that domestic stuff, Danny’s phone pressed nervously to his mouth. Eve pulled out her phone that had begun dinging loudly the moment they entered the shed. She raised an eyebrow with a dark look on her face, “Something you want to tell us, Joe?”

“I’m sick of hiding,” he said tiredly. He looked apologetically at Eve, “I’m so-”

Eve held up a finger warningly, “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. You don’t get to be sorry about that.” She glanced at Alec, who was staring at her in shock. Her eyes shifted back to Joe, and she lifter her head a little, “I’ll make you a deal. You tell me who put you up to shooting Laila, and I won’t add animal cruelty to your list of charges.”

Joe shook his head quickly, “I don’t know... there was a letter in the mail addressed to me... said I should burn it after reading it.”

“Bullshit,” Eve snarled, lunging towards the man, but Alec quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, and practically dragged her out of the shed. 

He set her down, and Eve immediately tried to walk past him, and back into the shed, but he grabbed her, and turned her to face him. She glared at him, “Let me go, Alec.” Her voice was dangerously low.

“No. Either I stand out her with you or you go cool off in your car,” he argued.

Eve glared at him as she still tried to get back to the shed, but his grip only tightened. “Go to the car, Smith.” He ordered, his voice raising.

Eve scowled at him, “Don’t call me Smith. You don’t do that.”

Alec took a breath to control his rising irritation. He looked at her desperately, “Your properly angry. I understand, but you know as well as I do that you cannot do anything to jeopardize a conviction.”

Eve reached up to grip is upper arms as she let out an angry breath. “Fine, but I’m not happy about.”

“I know you're not, but you can’t lose it. Not right now,” he reminds.

Eve nods, and he could practically see all the fight leave her. She nods towards the shed, “Be careful.”

Alec presses a kiss to her forehead as his hands slid down from her arms to her hands, squeezing them. He lent his forehead against hers, “I know. Now, go.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”What was the exact nature of your relationship with Danny?”

Joe sat there in a sterile white clean-suit with an ashen face, "I was in love with him.”

A shiver ran down Eve’s spine as she clutched her pen tightly as she forced herself to write down what he was saying.

“When did this start?” Alec asked, keeping his tone even, taking notes as well.

“About nine months ago. Mark gave Danny a split lip. Danny came round to ours to see Tom. Didn’t know where else to go. I fixed him up. We talked,” Joe explained sounding reminiscent.

“And then what happened?”

Joe rubbed his hands together. “He’d come round to play with Tom. He’d always come and find me. We’d have a chat. He told me he couldn’t talk to his dad like that. That’s... when we started... meeting, just the two of us.”

Eve shut her eyes, taking a deep breath.  ** Don’t lose it. Don’t lose it. Bury the anger.  ** She opened her eyes. “Did you tell Ellie, or maybe perhaps Tom?” Eve asked with a startling emotionless voice.

Joe shook his head. 

“Why not?” Alec questioned.

“I wanted something that was mine. Ellie has her job. Tom... does his own thing. But Danny... I felt like he needed me,” Joe narrated honestly with desperation and grief in his eyes.

“Where did Ellie, your wife, may I remind you, think you were on the nights you met Danny?” Eve raise an eyebrow.

“Running. Cycling. Pub,” Joe listed off.

“So, you lied about where you were?” Alec asked tightly, not liking that answer as much as Eve had. “Did you ever touch him?”

Joe vehemently shook his head in denial, “No. All I ever asked for... was for him to hold me.”

Eve shut her eyes again as her knee drifted to knock gently against Alec’s under the table. She just needed to feel that he was there, which used to take her by surprise. Eve had never been a very touchy person, always kept herself to herself, but Alec... his touch was like a  xanax to her. Better than a  xanax now that she thought about it. 

“Standing up? Sitting down?” Alec questioned as he pressed his knee against Eve’s. 

“In a chair.”

“Clothed? Naked?”

“Clothed,” Joe said as if he were disgusted by the idea of having done anything naked. As if what he’d done already wasn’t bad enough.

Eve cocked her head with narrowed eyes, “How long would these... I’m  gonna call it ‘hugs’ last?”

“Why does it matter?” Joe asked defensively.

Alec leaned forwards, “Everything matters. We need the facts, Joe. We need to understand.”

“If I can’t understand it, why should you?” Joe shouted.

“Did you ever give Danny presents?” Alec asked calmly.

Joe sighed, “Mobile phone. Beginning of the year. Told him not the show Mark and Beth.”

“Did you ever give him any cash?”

“£500. It was part of our spending money for Florida.”

Eve rolled her eyes at that, “Why did you give Danny that amount of money?”

“I wanted him to love me,” Joe answered with a sad tone.

Eve nodded before she looked at him with a dark look in her eyes, “Why did you call from the cliff side hut two nights ago? Why’d you run?” Alec glanced at her. She had the same tone of voice when she’d asked that as she had at the shed. He straightened in his chair, ready to restrain her if she decided to leap over the table at the man. 

“I couldn’t take any more. I caused Jack’s death too. I knew you’d check the number. I wanted it just to be you two. To confess. Then I saw Ellie... so... I ran.” Joe looked pleadingly at the two detective inspectors. “Does Ellie know?”

“No,” Alec answered.

Eve smirked having not an ounce of sympathy for the man across from her, “Oh, but she’s gonna.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Sir , do you mind?” Ellie asked as Alec and Eve entered while she was in the middle of interrogating Nigel Carter. “I’m in the middle – for the sake of the tape, DI Hardy and DI Smith-”

“Interview terminated at 1:33 P.M.” Alec turned the tape off. He nodded to the solicitor, “Take him. Go on.”

Nigel and the Solicitor made their exit. 

“ He’s, my suspect!” Ellie argued, standing up.

“Sit down, Miller,” Alec ordered.

“What is going on?” she asked as Eve and Alec sat down in the chairs across from her. She caught the rage hidden in Eve’s expression, “Oh, God. Who pissed you off?”

“ It's not him,” Alec told her, nodding towards the door.

“How do you know?” Ellie asked in confusion.

“We need to ask you a couple of things. Where were you the night of Danny’s death?”

“What?”

Eve’s face softened as tears welled in her eyes, “Just... please. We’ll explain in a minute.” She lightly tapped the table, “We just need to keep this as simple as possible. So, we’ll ask the questions. You give us the answers.”

“What, you two think it was me?” Ellie joked weakly.

Neither of them reacted. “Where were you?” Alec repeated.

She frowns, “Are you serious?”

“Please, Ellie,” Alec begged.

Ellie grimaced, “Don’t call me Ellie.”

Eve placed her hand on the table to gain the other woman’s attention, “Ellie, seriously, where were you?”

“I was at home. We just got back from Florida that morning. You know this already, Eve,” Ellie responded curtly.

“So, that night... what did you do?” Alec questioned gently. “Unpack? Get ready for work? What?”

“I went to bed. I get terrible jet lag, so I have these pills I take, and they knock me out,” she told them.

“What time did you get to bed?”

“Half seven, eight. Why are you asking me this?” Ellie demanded.

Alec and Eve shared a resigned and tired look. Eve took a breath before she looked at Ellie knowingly, “Did you notice Joe come to bed that night?”

Elle shook her head, “No. Tell me what’s going on.”

Without a word, both detective inspectors stood and made their way around the table. Alec took the seat next to Ellie while Eve squatted next to him with a hand on Ellie’s knee. Ellie looked at them startled, “What are you doing? Why are you coming round here?”

Eve tried to get the words out of her mouth, but all that came out was her own sob. She didn’t want this for her best friend, who was  arguably like an older sister to her. 

Alec rested a hand on Eve’s shoulder as tears streamed down her face, but he looked Ellie gently in the eyes. “It was Joe. Joe killed Danny Latimer.”

Ellie flinched violently at his words, her chair scrapping against the floor at the abrupt movement. “No. What the fuck? No, he didn’t. He didn’t” Ellie denied desperately, her eyes welling with her own tears. 

“We have him in custody,” Alec told her.

Ellie cringed away from him, stumbling out of her chair clumsily and squatted against the wall, dry heaving. Eve quickly crawled over to the woman, pulling her into a tight embrace against her chest. Her own tears still leaking down from her eyes. Eve looked at Alec tiredly over the top of Ellie’s head. 

Alec crouched next to them, rubbing a hand comfortingly over Ellie’s back. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it right, but it calmed Eve when she was upset, so he figured it would work on Ellie as well. “Sorry. It’s okay. It’s all right.”

Ellie looked at him, “No. S... Susan Wright. She saw Nige. My sister...”

“No, they saw Joe.”

“No,” she denied.

“Same build, facial similarities, bald head under the hat. They thought they saw Nige, but they saw Joe,” Alec explained as gently as he could.

“No, it’s not Joe. It’s not Joe. It’s not Joe. Please. You’re wrong,” Ellie sobbed, begging him to tell her that he was lying.

Alec nodded towards Eve, “Evelyn worked it out weeks ago. You can think I’m wrong all you like, but you’ve worked with her long enough to she’s not.”

“No, she’s not. I want to see him,” Ellie insisted, still not wanting to believe them.

Alec and Eve shared a look.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

They stood in front of the interrogation room that Joe was inside. He grabbed Ellie’s arm before she could walk in, “You don’t touch him. You don’t do anything that might  jeopardize a conviction.”

Ellie scoffed, “What am I  gonna do? He’s bigger than me and there are cameras everywhere,” Ellie pointed out. 

Eve held up a hand, “I’ll go with you, just in case.”

Ellie sighed, but agreed, and both women walked in. Eve took up guard at the door.

Ellie could feel her world being ripped apart as she looked at her husband in the white suit. 

Joe looked like he’d seen a ghost,” El...”

“Sit down,” both women ordered when he started to stand. 

“Is it true?” Ellie asked.

Joe gulped, “I never touched... Tom or Fred. I never touched Danny. El... I’ve always love you.”

“He was 11!” she yelled at him.

Joe looked as if he wanted to burst in tears. “I can’t explain it...” he sniffled, but looked at her with hope in his eyes, “Can I see Tom?”

That was the question that made her lost it, and Eve couldn’t react fast enough. She shrieked as she smacked him out of his chair, kicking him as Eve’s arms came around her. However, Ellie struggled in Eve’s arms, and her elbow came backwards connecting with the area where Eve’s left shoulder met her neck. 

Alec opened the door with two PCs behind in as Eve screamed in agony at the pain radiating outwards from her shoulder. Letting go of Ellie, who went on kicking Joe, while her knees buckled and she fell to the floor clutching at her shoulder. It took the two PCs to drag Ellie kicking and screaming out of the room. Eve had never stood a change at stopping her.

Alec didn’t even spare a second glance at Joe as her made a beeline for Eve, who had silent tears streaming down her face, and was now clutching her left arm to her chest. She let out a shaky breath as Alec kneeled beside her, pushing stray red hairs out of her face.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly.

Eve gave him a look that told him he was a dumbass for asking that. He nods, “Let me rephrase... are you going to  be, okay?”

Eve nodded, “Yeah. Shoulder fucking kills, but yeah.”

“Do you need a doctor?”

She shook her head, “No. I mean how much damage could Ellie elbow have done?”

Alec looked at her  skeptically, "You were screaming.”

“Well... yeah. It hurt.” Eve held out her right hand, “Help me up would  ya , grumpy?”

Alec rolls his eyes at the nickname before standing up, gripping her right hand and forearm tightly to hoist her off the floor as well. Her eyes squeezed shut as her head spun from the fresh throb of pain in her shoulder. She tilted dangerous, and Alec’s arms wrapped around her waist tightly. She opened her eyes to glare at him, “I might throw up on you.”

“Please don’t,” Alec begged with a grimace.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

As soon as Ellie caught sight of Eve, she rushed over to her, pulling her into a tight hug, apologizes streaming out of her mouth at a million miles a second. Eve grit her teeth over Ellie’s shoulder as she hugged back with her right arm only, still keeping the left one close to her chest. It still burned hot with pain. 

Eve pulled away with a smile despite the pain written on her face, “It’s alright, Ellie. Really. You were extremely angry at Joe, and you lashed out. I got caught in the middle. I’m not upset.” Eve tilted her head, “Shoulder kills, but I’ll survive.”

Ellie still looked guilty as she let Eve led her with one hand into Alec’s office. Both women sat down on the couch, looking at Alec, who was leaning against his desk. He looked at Ellie, “We’ve booked you a family room at the hotel on the roundabout.  Pete’ll meet you there with Tom and Fred. You can pick up some stuff on the way. Don’t talk to anyone. Shut the curtains. Lock the door. Don’t answer the phone to anyone that isn’t me or Evelyn.”

She nodded weakly, “If you need me to do anything on the paperwork or stuff I’ve been following up  on, my desk’s a mess.” 

Eve smiled softly at her, “I’ll sort it out when I get the chance.”

Elle looked between them sadly, “Tell me this isn’t happening.” A PC poked his head into the office. “Is this my car?”

The PC nodded.

“Thanks, Dom,” Alec said in dismissal. Ellie stood up, and he put a hand on her arm, “We’ll see you soon.”

Once, Ellie had left his office, Alec collapsed on the couch next to Eve. They both stared blankly around the room. They had wanted to solve the case, yes, but... this was far from how they’d wanted it to play out. Eve sighed softly before she let herself collapse against Alec’s side, his arm coming to rest around her shoulders.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Alec faced the ashen and shocked faces of their team. “At 5 P.M, we’ll tell the family. I’ll make a short statement to the media, and then we all need to be on hand because this information is going to run a crack through this community,” Alec told them.

“You all know Ellie,” Eve said seriously, her left arm hanging limp at her side while she gesticulated with her right. “She has been removed from the case and put on leave with full pay. There is no suggestion what so ever that she knew. All right?” She glanced around to see everyone nodding in agreement. “We’re her colleagues and her friends. This is a tragedy and unthinkable for her. She’ll need you. She’ll need all of us.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec knocked on the door of the Latimer’s house before Eve and him shared a look, both taking deep breaths to prepare themselves for the information they were going to have to give the family. 

Mark answered the door.

“Mark, do you have a minute?” Alec asked.

“ ‘ Course I do. Beth?”

“Yeah?” Beth called from somewhere in the house.

“Come in,” Mark told them, gesturing to the entryway.”

“Thanks,” Eve replied with a small smile.

“Just go through.”

The two detectives walked into the living room. Eve nodded to Beth, “Hi, Beth. Looking as lovely as ever I see.”

“Hiya,” Beth beamed despite herself at the compliment. “ You're looking lovely yourself, Eve.”

“Hi,” Alec said  awkwardly before gesturing around the room. “Maybe we should all sit down?” he suggested.

The small family made up of Beth, Mark, Chloe, and Liz sat down on the couch across from Alec and Eve. 

“We have charged someone with Danny’s murder,” Alec stated bluntly, getting straight to the point.

All four of them gasped. “Oh, God, I don’t want to know,” Beth gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

“That’s good,” Mark muttered.

“Is it  someone we kno w?” Beth asked.

Eve gestured with her right hand at Alec to let her take this one. She leaned forwards in the arm chair she was sitting in, grimacing as her shoulder throbbed. She sighed, looking at her hands before looking back up at them, “It was Joe Miller.”

The family was silent. It rubbed Eve the wrong way. She didn’t like it when it was quiet. There always had to be something going on. 

“Oh, my God,” Chloe uttered softly.

Liz looked at them in confusion, “No, it can’t be. They only live across the field.”

“He and Danny had been... meeting in secret for the last few months,” Alec explained to them causing them all to flinch. “We can’t tell you much more, but we do believe that we have the right person.”

“What about Ellie?” Beth asked.

Eve looked at her seriously, “Ellie did not know. She had nothing to do with what happened to Danny.” She could still see the anger stirring inside the other woman. She knew that Beth would blame Ellie anyway. 

Mark shook his head, standing up and storming out of the house. The slamming of the front door  punctuating Alec’s calls for him.

“Are you sure?” Beth asked.

“We’re fairly certain. Yeah,” Alec answered.

“No... no,” Beth whimpered.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec had sent Eve home, after seeing how much her shoulder was still bothering her, and limiting her ability to do her job, promising that he would take care of everything before he came  home. So , she resigned herself to watch Alec make his official statement to the press. 

“A 38-year-old man form Broadchurch has today been charged with the murder of Daniel Latimer. Danny’s family have been informed and ask for privacy at this time. As the senior investigating officer, I would ask that the town is now left alone to come to terms with what took place here. We’re not looking for anyone else in relation to the killing. This has been a delicate, complex investigation, and it has left its mark on a close-knit town. Now is the time for Broadchurch to be left... to grieve and heal, away from the spotlight. Thank you.”

Eve let out a shaky breath as she used her right hand to wipe the tears that had begun to stream down her cheeks.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec and Eve had just finished eating a very late, but healthy, dinner consisting of chicken stir fry. Eve had changed into a pair of leggings and Alec’s blue jumper when she’d been sent home, and was more than content to go straight to bed and hopefully sleep for a week. However, Alec hadn’t even changed yet, and after everything, she was reluctant to sleep without him. 

Eve was in the process of making her favorite lemon tea when there was a knock on the door. Alec went to answer it while Eve pulled out another mug, already knowing who would be on the other side of the door. 

Ellie was teary eyed as Alec led her to a blue arm chair that was angled both towards the coffee table and tv. Eve handed her a mug of tea first, and waited till Alec had sat down on the grey couch, angling himself against one arm and the back of the couch, before she handed him his. He took a sip, and hummed as Eve laid against his chest with one leg hanging off the couch. 

“How could any adult be in love with an 11-year-old boy?” Ellie asked suddenly, looking lost. “Is he a pedophile? The pathologist said there was no record of abuse on Danny, either historic or recent. I asked Tom, and he said Joe never touched him, so what does that make him?” 

“Why do you need a category?” Alec countered.

“I need to understand,” Ellie insisted.

He sighed, his arm snaking around Eve’s waist, tracing circles on her hip, “Well... just because he didn’t abuse either boy... it doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t have gone on to.”

“Doesn’t mean he would have either,” Ellie  interjected .

“No. We’ll never be sure. He said he was in love. Maybe he was romanticizing what he felt. Or... or maybe that’s as it was. We don’t have these answers. People are unknowable. And... you never really know what goes on inside someone else’s heart.”

“I should’ve seen it,” Ellie murmured.

“How?”

“I’m a bloody detective,” she ground out. “Miller the brilliant copper who was lying next to the murderer.” She pointed at Eve, “Eve knew. She could see it even early on, you said so.”

Eve looked at her sadly, “Ellie, this is not on you. You didn’t kill Danny and you didn’t know that Joe did it. You love, or loved your husband. Love... love blinds. Sometimes, if you’re not careful... you miss the bad things. The dark things. As for me figuring it out... I just got lucky to catch a glimpse of the murderer in him. If I hadn’t looked up during Tom’s  interview, I might’ve missed it.”

Ellie scoffed, “No, you wouldn’t have. You see everything. Nothing gets passed you.”

“I’m not infallible, Ellie. I do make mistakes.”

Ellie sighed, looking away. “I want to kill him.”

Eve nods with her eyes closed, “Yeah. Me too.”

Ellie looked at Alec curiously, “When did you suspect?”

Alec nodded to Eve, “She told me after we had dinner with you and Joe. I didn’t really suspect him, though, until the last day or so. There was an email account on Danny’s missing phone. He only had two contacts. It was just Tom... and Joe, so...”

Ellie shook her head, scoffing. “All along, you two said: Don’t trust.”

Eve had tears in her eyes as she whispered, “We really wanted to be wrong.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

On the night of Danny’s funeral, the town had planned to have a bonfire on the beach as a memorial to Danny in a way. However, Paul had managed to spread the word, and now the hills and cliffs surrounding Broadchurch were lit with small fires. 

However, Alec, Ellie, and Eve sat on a bench on the cement walk-up to the beach, watching the light from afar. Alec looked over Eve’s head at Ellie, “What’ll you do?”

“Go somewhere else, give the kids a fresh start,” Elle answered.

Eve gasped, “Oh, no. I’ll miss you!”

“ Your life is here,” Alec pointed out.

“How can I walk down the high street now?” Ellie asked them. She looked at Alec, “What about you?”

“Oh, I’m done.  Medicalled out. It’s all over,” Alec responded casually as if it wasn’t the complete opposite of what he wanted. He would have been content to continue working side by side with Eve. They were the best detective inspector duo in  Broadchurch , not that he’d ever admit that to her  out loud . She’d never let him live it down.

Ellie turned to Eve with a raised eyebrow, “And you?”

The redhead shrugged, grimacing at the throb in her shoulder which still hadn’t gone away. “Might take a month off... God knows I’ve earned it. Don’t know what I’ll do without the two of you though.”

“Look at us. Former detectives club and their honorary third member,” Ellie joked, pulling a giggle from Eve that echoed through the quiet night. 

The three detectives, or detective and two former detectives, could only hope that the future might bring them a little more happiness after the emotional stress that they had been under throughout the Latimer case. There's always hope for the future.


	19. The Walls are Beginning to Crumble

Eve’s face scrunched in her sleep when a warm slimy tongue began to lick her face excitedly at the sound of her alarm. The redhead sighed forcing her eyes open to see Iris, the 6-month-old bearded collie puppy, that Alec had gifted to her for Christmas that year. Eve reached a shaky left hand to turn off her alarm, petting Iris with her right. She blinked blearily at the far to early time on her phone before turning to look at Alec, who was still sound asleep. 

A little smile came over her face as she just watched in sleep for a minute. Then, she leaned over to press a soft kiss to his forehead before getting out of bed, heading for the bathroom with Iris hot on her tail. 

Eve sighed in relief when the steaming hot shower water hit her left shoulder. Seven months. I had been seven long and painful months since Joe Miller’s arrest. Seven whole months, and the aching and throbbing had never gone away. She couldn’t even lift her left arm over her head from the stiffness that persisted in her shoulder. She never let on to Alec that her shoulder was still bothering her so much. He had a malfunctioning heart, for God’s sake, she could handle a little shoulder pain. At least that’s how she rationalized not telling him. The truth was... she didn’t want to worry him. She’d always been independent, even as a child, taking care of her own problems. Eve just... didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. 

She shook her head of any thought about the pain radiating in her shoulder as she went about washing her hair with one hand, which she’d gotten surprisingly good at. Today was the day Joe Miller was going to plead and be sentenced for what he’d done to Danny. Eve wasn’t relieved though. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’d been almost too easy catching Joe once they finally had the evidence. 

Eve turned the water off, wrapping a towel around herself, so that she could go about patting her red curls dry, so that they weren’t dripping onto her clothes. Once she was satisfied that the rest of her hair could dry in the sea air of the town, she set about getting dressed. Eve decided on a grey button down tucked into black flares, a black open front blazer, and black snake skin ankle boots. 

She left the bathroom wandering through her and Alec’s new small house by the water. They’d moved in a couple of months after Joe’s arrest. Eve just couldn’t handle living in the house that Laila had been killed in, and Alec couldn’t blame her for that. Neither of them had ever been able to get the blood stain out of the wooden floor, despite several attempts at doing so. Eve had decided to leave Laila buried under the tree in the backyard of her old house. It was Laila’s favorite place to lay, and she couldn’t bear to take Laila away from her favorite spot. Eve had made sure to disclose that Laila was buried there when she sold the house to a nice little family that had moved to Broadchurch. 

Eve opened the door to find Alec sitting on the cement steps, reading the mail. Iris laying down at his feet. She sat down next to him, leaning over to peck his cheek, “Good morning, Mon Ráleur.” 

Alec chuckled, “Good morning.” He put the letter he was reading back into the envelope. Pulling her up with him, kissing her, “Sleep well?” 

Eve pulled back with a smirk as she pushed his glasses back up his nose, “Oh, I always sleep well now with you next to me. Have I mentioned how sexy you look with your glasses?” 

Alec smiles softly, "Quite often.” He lightly boops her nose, “You don’t wear yours anymore.” 

She shrugs, “Not like I actually need them.” 

An eyebrow raises, “You have an astigmatism in your right eye.” 

Eyes roll in response, “Yeah, but unlike you I can see and read without glasses.” 

“For now,” Alec counters. 

“Hush, or no toast,” Eve threatened. 

“You don’t even like toast,” Alec pointed out. 

“No, but you do,” Eve replied gently pulling him into the house. “I can have a nice bowl of dried cereal.” 

“I still don’t understand how you don’t like milk that isn’t chocolate,” Alec remarked as Eve put two pieces of toast in the stainless-steel toaster before pulling a bowl out of the cupboards. 

Eve shook her head as she opened a box of _Captain Crunch_ , “I’m not getting into the whole, I was lactose intolerant when I was a baby, and am now lactose sensitive thing again. I’ve told it so many times, it doesn’t make sense to me anymore.” 

Eve pulled the toast out, spread some butter on the two slices, pulled two white pills out of her blazer’s right pocket, then handed the plate and pills to Alec, “Take those, Eat, and be happy.” 

Alec did as he was told, the two of them happily munching on their breakfasts, when his phone. He answered it, “What?... No... What? Is that now?” 

Alec left his plate of toast behind to walk to the door, with Eve, still holding her bowl of dry cereal in her hands, right behind him. They saw Maggie and Oliver standing there smugly. Ollie had been the one to call Alec and remind him about the interview he had agreed to this morning. “Certainly is,” Ollie remarked. 

Alec groaned as Eve helped him into his coat after she’d set her bowl of cereal down to grab it. He turned to give her a quick kiss, “I’ll see you at court?” 

Eve nods, smoothing down the lapels of coat, “Of course. I just file a few incidence reports, but then I can leave everything to....” she sighed with an annoyed look on her face, “My brother.” 

Following Eve’s month-long vacation from work, she was surprised to come back to find that her older brother, Johnathon, or John would be joining Broadchurch CID as a DC. Needless to say, that was not a very pleasant argument with CS Jenkinson. However, it wasn’t too bad working with her brother because even growing up, Eve may have been the youngest, but she was arguably the top dog. Although, he did have a certain proclivity for getting on her last nerves. 

“Oh, expect to come back to the place on fire then,” Alec joked getting that annoyed look turned on him as she pushed him gently towards the door. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”DI Hardy, you must be anticipating the relief of today’s court date’ll bring.” 

“It’s the plea and case management hearing,” Alec answered simply, squinting when the wind blew sand into his face as they stood on the beach under the cliffs. 

“But you’re pleased you got the right man in the dock?” Ollie asked. 

“What sort of a question is that? Pleased? Is that how you train him?” Alec regarded Maggie, who was grinning. 

They were cut off by his phone ringing, but he ignored it as it just kept ringing. “Take it if you want,” Maggie said with an edge of impatience. 

He hit ignore and tried to carry one with the interview, “Right-” his phone rang again. Maggie and Ollie looked at him and the phone, annoyed. He ignored it again. “Today’s hearing is the result of a thorough investigation by a team of dedicated officers who worked day and night under difficult circumstances.” 

“And how will you personally feel seeing Joe Miller again?” Maggie asked. 

Alecs shook his head, “No. Don’t do that. It’s not about me.” 

“He’s the husband of your old detective sergeant,” she pointed out. “Not to mention the best friend of your girlfriend. You much want the same as us. Joe Miller sentenced for what he did. As soon as that happens, we can all move on.” 

“You know I can’t comment in advance of today,” he told her. 

“Are you missing being on active duty as a detective? Missing getting to follow DI Smith around like a puppy?” Ollie asked him. 

Alec glared at him, “You can probably stop taking the arsehole pills, Oliver.” 

“I thought you might leave. Now that you don’t have any reason to be here.” 

The silence that followed that statement was tense. Maggie broke it, throwing a knowing look at Alec, “Oh, I don’t think our little Evelyn is nothing, Oliver. Love as good a reason to stay as any other.” Maggie paused, "All right... picture,” she gestured for Alec to stand right in front of the cliffs, “If you just stand there.” 

“Here? Really?” He looked between them and the cliffs. 

“Yeah. That cliff falls recent. They’re getting more frequent,” Maggie mentioned. 

“Things fall apart,” Alec muttered under his breath. 

“It’d help if you look up,” Magge goaded. 

“Smile!” Ollie grinned smugly. 

Alec did not smile, and he could practically hear Eve’s voice in his head telling him to look like he wanted to be there. As Maggie took photos of him, Alec’s phone rang again. His irritation finally rose to a peak as he actually looked at the phone this time. ‘Claire’. He groaned internally. Why was she calling? Why was she bothering him today of all days? He hit ignore again and looked at the text messages telling him to pick up, but he ignored them as well. He a small prayer to God’s that he doesn’t believe in, thanking them that Eve was not as clingy as Claire. Not that he’d have actually cared if she was clingy, he probably would have loved Eve in any form she came in. Eve was Eve. Simple as that. 

“Okay. Perfect,” Maggie praised, putting her things away. 

“How’s Tom getting on?” Alec asked Ollie as he prepared to leave. 

Ollie frowned, "Me and Mum are trying to get him through it, but he still doesn’t want to be with Ellie...” 

Alec nodded. He’d overheard several tearful phone conversations between Eve and Ellie about how Joe had ruined Ellie’s life and her relationship with her eldest son. 

“Have you seen her?” he asked. 

Ollie shook his head, “You?” 

Alec shook his head as well before walking off. He’d been hoping that him and Eve would see Ellie at the hearing today. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve pinched the bridge of her nose as she listened to her John tell her about the fist fight, he and a drunk driver had gotten into this morning when trying to arrest him for driving under the influence. “So... you were defending yourself, yes?” 

“Yes! I’ve told you that four times now!” John raised his voice. 

Eve held up a hand, “Yes, you have, but in case you forgot, I’ve known you since the stars were made. I’m just making sure.” 

John sighed before looking at his younger sister, “You still worried about the hearing?” 

Eve rubs a hand down her face, leaning back in her office chair, “Oh, yeah. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop.” 

He leaned forwards on the wooden chair he was in, “It’ll be fine. You’re overthinking too much.” 

She raised an eyebrow, “Kind of what I do, John.” 

John chuckled, “Don’t I know it too.” He stared at her for a minute before looking at his watch and standing up. “You’ve gotta get to court.” 

Eve stands sliding a few files his way, “I know. You finish up filing these, and hold down the fort.” 

John hefts the files off her desk, “Won’t let you down.” 

Grey eyes rolled, “Yeah. Okay. This coming from the man who inadvertently started the Roman Civil War in 49 BCE.” 

John grimaces at the memory, “Fair point.” He glances at his watch, “Seriously go.” 

Eve grabs her coat off the back of her chair, holding it up placatingly, “I’m going. I’m going.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve felt the same tiredness that she’d felt during the Latimer case wash over her as she stood patiently waiting outside the courthouse. Now that she was here, she honestly didn’t want to be. She couldn’t predict what she’d feel when Joe Miller walked into the dock. The only thing she did know was that she was incredibly anxious for this hearing to be over with, and it hadn’t even started yet. 

Eve was wringing her hands when she saw the Latimer’s walking up to the courthouse, Alec just behind them. Eve bypassed the press that hounded the Latimer’s, in favor of taking up her place on Alec’s right. She had just greeted him with a kiss when his phone rang. She raised an eyebrow, “Someone’s popular today.” 

“I’m not,” he grunted, ignoring the call. “Worst cop in Britain, remember? You got shirts made.” 

Eve chuckled, “Oh, I know. Well... your popular with me. Very popular.” 

Alec smirked, snaking his arms around her waist to pull her towards him, “Aren’t I lucky?” His lips capture Eve’s, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck. Well, her right arm did, her left only made it halfway, and instead her left hand rested against his chest. 

Eve smiled as she pulled away, “Come on, the hearing won’t wait for us.” She winked at him as the reached security, “Maybe we can make love later?” 

Alec tripped going through the metal detector at her bluntness causing Eve to cackle as she went through the other one. Eve grabbed Alec’s hand once again when they had collected their metal items out of the bins. 

When they reached the Latimer’s by the stairs, Eve let go of Alec’s hand, so that she could embrace Beth as tightly as she could with Beth’s large baby bump. 

“You didn’t have to be here today,” Alec told them. 

“Oh, we did,” Beth countered as she pulled away from Eve. “I need to hear him say it. 

**_PA: All Parties in Miller to Court one. All parties in Miller to court one._ **

The group walked up the stairs, both Alec and Eve pausing to look around for Ellie, but there was not sight of the woman, so they continued up the stairs. In the court room, Alec and Eve sat down in the gallery of seats near the dock while the Latimer family sat down in the public gallery. Eve’s eyes widened when she caught sight of Paul walking in with Becca. She grabs Alec’s hand, pulling it to rest in her lap, whispering, “The whore showed up.” 

Alec looks over to see Becca, and his eyes widen as well, “That can’t end well.” 

“No, it can’t.” 

Everyone started a bit when Ellie rushed in looking flustered. She looked over at Beth, who wouldn’t look at her. “Miller,” Alec called quietly. Ellie turned to see Alec and Eve. Eve beamed at her, eagerly patting the seat to her right, which Ellie took. “How’s Devon?” Alec asked as Eve patted Ellie comfortingly on the knee. 

“Awful,” Ellie muttered truthfully, averting her eyes from everyone that was staring at her. 

Eve frowned, “I’m sorry.” 

The doors flew open in a rush again, and a woman with black hair and bright eyes looked excited upon catching sight of Alec. She even tried to come, and sit in the police gallery, but the usher directed her towards the public gallery, “Members of the public this way, madam. Thank you.” 

Eve watching in confusion as Alec quickly got up, grabbing the woman’s arm, “Da-da-da-da-da, Out, now, come on.” He pulled her out of the court room. 

Ellie looked at Eve in confusion, “Who was that?” 

Eve shrugged, racking her brain for who the woman was when it hit her like brick. Claire. She remembered seeing a picture of her in the Sandbrook files, but had forgotten what the woman looked like till now. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”What are you doing here? You know how important today is.” Alec asked, irritated. 

“Sorry, I was worried you turned your phone off,” Claire justified. 

“You cannot be here,” he told her. 

“Sorry, I’m panicking, I didn’t know what to do.” 

“Go,” Alec pointed to the stairs. 

“I think he’s back and I think he’s looking for me,” Clair added quickly. 

Alec paused, “What?” He couldn’t be back. He’d know If he was. “No, he’s not. He can’t be. I’d know. Why do you think that?” 

“Nine missed calls on my phone. Number withheld,” Claire explained quietly. 

“That doesn’t mean-” 

It’s him,” she hissed. 

“It’s not,” Alec insisted. “You need to calm down. I know where he is. I’ve had a trace on him. He’s not even in the country.” 

Claire stared at him in disbelieving, “You'd better be sure, Alec, ‘cos I feel like I can’t breathe-” 

“Everything is fine. Stay calm,” he tried to comfort with a hand on her shoulder. “Stop worrying. Soon as I’m done here, I’ll come over. Now, go home. Please. It’s all fine.” He went to walk back into the courtroom, but paused, looking back at Claire, “Maybe use the back exit.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec looked flustered and distracted when he came back in. Eve raised an eyebrow, “What is Lee Ashworth’s wife doing in Broadchurch?” 

Alec ignored her question as he sat down, only to get back up again when the judge spoke up, “All rise. All parties in the case of Joeseph Miller.” 

Everyone watched as the bailiff led Joe Miller into the dock, and Eve finally found out what emotion she felt. She felt a mixture of anger and disgust. Her stomach churning at the sight of the man. Eve subconsciously reached out for both Alec at the same time that Ellie reached for Eve’s right hand. 

Joe looked at the Latimers, and Chloe burst into tears at the sight of the man that killed her little brother. Then, he turned towards Alec, Eve, and Ellie, but looked at Ellie. 

“Don’t you look at me,” Ellie hissed with tears in her eyes. 

“Are you Joseph Michael Miller?” 

“Yes,” Joe answered. 

“Joseph Michael Miller, you are charged with murder contrary to common law. The particulars of the offense are that on the 18th day of July 2013, you murdered Daniel Latimer of 4 Spring Close, Broadchurch, Dorset. How do you plead? Guilty or not guilty?” 

“Not guilty.” 

“No!” Ellie exclaimed as Eve’s eyes closed at the bile that rose in her throat. 

There was the other shoe finally dropping. 

“No, he can’t. He can’t,” Beth sobbed. 

Alec squeezed Eve’s hand tightly, looking shocked. 

Joe’s solicitor stood, looking just as stunned as everyone else in the room, “Err... you Honour... sorry. Erm... can I ask for the indictment to be put again?” 

Mark stood up quickly, banging his hand on the wood railing in front of him, shouting, “Be a man, Joe! You know what happened!” 

“Sit down,” the judge ordered. “I said sit down.” Nige quickly pulled Mark back down into his seat. The judge looked at the solicitor, “I take it from your reaction, Ms. Thompson, that the Queen’s Counsel have not been instructed.” 

“Very much not, Your Honour,” Thompson said looking flabbergasted. 

“Could you confirm your plea, Mr. Miller? Not least, it seems for the benefit of your own counsel.” 

“Not guilty,” Joe repeated. 

Eve didn’t wait to hear anymore as she yanked her hands free, pressing a hand to her mouth, sprinting out of the courtroom. Ellie running after her with tears streaming down her face. Alec remained seated in shock. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve collapsed in front of a toilet in the ladies' room, her breakfast and coffee from this morning making a second appearance. Sweat began to bead on her forehead from the force of her body expelling its stomach contents. Eve barely registered Ellie coming into the same small stall as her, shutting and locking the door. 

When there was nothing else to expel besides bile, Eve forced her left hand up to flush the toilet, standing up on shaky legs, letting the lid of the toilet drop back down. Ellie sat down on the lid while Eve held herself up on the door. Both women were silent as tears made their way down their faces. 

They jumped when there was a knock on the bathroom stall door. 

“It’s occupied!” Ellie yelled. 

“I know. Come out, Miller. You two, Evelyn,” Alec’s voice drifted through the door. 

Eve swung the door open to stare at him in surprise, “It the ladies! Go away! Men aren’t supposed to come in the ladies!” 

“You’ve been in there for ages,” Alec pointed out as the door opened and a woman walked in. “Oi! There’s a sign,” he pointed to the wet floor sign he’d put in the entrance of the bathroom, “cleaning in progress.” He shooed her away, “Out! Out!” 

Ellie walked past Eve, who was still staring at Alec as if he’d broken the law, wiping her eyes. 

Eve shook her head before coming to lean against the counter next to Ellie. 

“Don’t let it get to you,” Alec told both women. 

Ellie rolled her eyes, “Oh, thanks for that. Brilliant advice.” 

Eve smiles, “It is though. We can’t let Joe get to us cause if we do let him, then he wins.” She gently rubbed Ellie’s back comfortingly despite her still rolling stomach. 

“You both caught Joe... he had Danny’s phone, you brought him in, you interview him. He didn’t resist. He is guilty,” Ellie said trying to figure out how Joe thought he could get off. 

“And the case against him is strong. The CPS never had any doubt about prosecuting,” Alec explained. 

Eve frowned, glancing at her left hand that was weakly rubbing Ellie’s back. Then, it hit her. Ellie had beat up Joe, which could be taken as police brutality. Ellie had inadvertently given him the opportunity to get off. She kept this to herself. Eve had no intentions of making Ellie feel guilty about being upset at her husband. 

“Doesn’t he know what it’s gonna do to Beth and Mark? To all of us?” Ellie cried. 

Eve looked at the floor in anger, “Of course he does, but he doesn’t care. He had no remorse for what he did. He’d just terrified of the consequences of what he’s done, and is trying to save his own skin.” 

‘Who’s gonna tell Tom? He’s at school. If his friends find out before him...” 

“It’s alright,” Alec interrupted. “I spoke to your sister; she and Ollie are going to take him out at lunchtime.” 

Eve smiled lovingly at him. 

“Well, I could go with them. I could see him,” Ellie suggested. 

“You know he doesn’t want that,” Alec reminded her gently. 

“I’m his mother. He’s gonna blame me more. How am I ever gonna get him back if there’s a trial?” 

Eve quicky pulled Ellie into a hug, “It’ll work out. Don’t worry about it now, you’ll only make yourself sick.” 

Ellie sighed, “How is this my life now?” 

“I’m sorry,” Alec said, standing up from where he was leaning against the opposite counter. He held his arms out, “Do you want a hug?” 

Ellie let go of Eve in shock, “What? No!” 

Eve watched sadly as Alec dropped his arms, “No.” 

“What’s the matter with you?” 

“I’m just trying to help,” Alec explained weakly. 

“Do you want a hug? Just hug it out?” Ellie mocked, grabbing her purse off the bathroom counter. 

“People do that! Eve like to do it,” Alec argues. 

“Well, not you!” 

Alec sighed, “Try not to be alone today.” 

“I am alone, sir,” Ellie countered. 

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir’ anymore,” Alec reminded. 

“I know,” Ellie said, going to walk out of the bathroom, but there was a clattering as she walked into the wet floor sign. “Christ’s sake! Did you put that there?” 

Alec cringed as Ellie left. 

Eve tilts her head as she stands up straight. Then, she holds out her arms, “I’ll take that hug.” 

Alec didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Eve, pulling her against him. She rested her head on his chest with her eyes closed, “Why couldn’t he just be guilty?” 

Alec kissed the top of her head, “I don’t know.” 

Eve pulled away slightly to look up at him. He looked at her questioningly, expecting a question. However, she just reached up with her right hand to cup his cheek before standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him causing him to moan against her lips. 

It was Alec, who pulled away first, glancing around the bathroom before eyeing one of the stalls. Eve seemed to catch on, and quickly pulled him into one, shutting, and locking the door behind them. 


	20. Broken Glass

Alec could barely hide the contempt he felt as he approached the small house in the middle of nowhere that he’d have Eve drop him off at. Eve, who had given him a nasty look when he wouldn’t tell her why.

“You shouldn’t have come earlier,” he told Claire as they stood in the kitchen, gripping the back of the chair that had his coat on it tightly. 

“I know. I was stupid,” Claire admitted.

“Yeah. It bloody was,” he reprimanded her. “Don’t do that sort of thing. People don’t know you’re here for good reason.”

She blanched at him, “I said I was sorry. It’s just I was spooked by those calls and I... I needed you.”

Alec walked over to lean against the sink next to her, “We need to stick to what we agreed.” Either that or his relationship with Eve was one wrong move from going down in a massive cluster fuck. 

“Promise me I’m safe, Alec,” Claire looked at him desperately. He held back a grimace at the use of his first name. It only ever sounded right to him rolling off Eve’s tongue. Oh, Eve’s tongue that’s a nice thought.

“I told you. Everything’s okay,” Alec promised distractedly as his thoughts her suddenly full of Eve.

“So, you’re staying?” She asked him insecurely.

Alec looked away from her, “No. I’ve got things I need to do.” Namely, Eve if his thoughts were anything to go by.

“I don’t like being her by myself,” Claire told him.

“Stop worrying.”

“You don’t know what he’s capable of,” she insisted.

“I do,” Alec countered. “I’ve got it covered,” he told her.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was silently thanking her brother in her head as she walked up to the window-door of her and Alec’s little blue house on the water. John had heard about Joe pleading not guilty, and had begged her to take a day or two in order to get her thought together. He could tell she was distracted considering she’d spent twenty minutes staring off into space at her desk. She’d gladly taken his suggestion when her shoulder began to throb painfully after her little love session with Alec in the bathroom stall. 

Eve rolled her shoulder to try and work out the stiffness as she reached her right hand into her coat pocket for her keys. It only made her shoulder radiate pain instead, creating a grimace on her face as she stuck the key in the lock. That’s when things went a little wrong.

Her brain was hazy with pain and the emotions from court, and she hadn’t registered the man dressed in a hoodie quickly approaching her. Eve’s brain registered the sound of footsteps, and she turned slightly, thinking that it was Alec. 

Then, one of the glass panels in the door cracked as her head was forced to collide with it when a hand around her neck forced her back. Eve’s right hand flew up to the man’s hand while her weak left one tried to push him away. Her struggling didn’t do much, and her eyes widened when the man raised a fist, “Sorry.”

She felt her head connect with the glass panel again, cracking it further, as the man’s fist connected with her jaw. Eve’s body went limp as she lost  consciousness , slumping to the side.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Three days ago? Lee Ashworth enters the country three days ago and you're telling me now?” Alec asks exasperatedly as he walks through a field on his way home. “Have you any... What is the point of you, Craig?”

He hung up, shoving his phone angrily back into his coat, “For God’s sake!”

Alec walks between the blue fence belonging to his and Eve’s house, and the red one of the neighboring  house . He walks through the open gate, pulling his keys out with a confused look. Eve always shuts the gate in case Iris gets out. She was still in the process of teaching the puppy not to run off. 

He looks up from his keys, and his blood runs cold when he sees the door open with a large crack in one of the glass panel. He rushes to the door, inspecting the crack in the window to find a small amount of bright red blood running through it. It was then that his heart stopped as he ripped the door the rest of the way open, yelling, “Evelyn!”

He rushes in to find the living room empty of the redhead. “Evelyn!” He yells again into the eerie silence of the house. Then, he hears a whimpering coming from the bedroom, and he rushes in to find Iris whimpering as she nudges Eve’s hand. Eve was unconscious, face down on the wooden floor, in the recovery position with her right hand thrown out to the side. 

“Oh, God...” Alec breathed as he quickly kneeled down beside her, gently moving Iris out of the way. The puppy continuing to whimper as she watched her male owner fret over the redhead. 

He took advantage of Eve being asleep, and carefully felt around the back of her head till he found a wet spot, pulling his hand out of her red curls to find his hand bloody. He winced before he turned Eve onto her back, and gently tapped her cheek, “Evelyn. Evelyn, come on. It’s time to wake up now, Evelyn.” He tapped her cheek a few more times, and Eve groaned loudly as she regained  consciousness .

Eve’s body writhed as white-hot pain erupted from her left shoulder as well as the back of her head. Upon waking up, Eve’s brain hadn’t had time to prepare for the onslaught of signals from her pain receptors, and it was akin to waking up on fire. She cried out, reaching up with her left hand weakly to grip the sleeve of Alec’s coat as the man gently pressed a hand to her face. His voice calling from somewhere outside of her perception of pain for her to look at him.

Eve forced her eyes open to look at him as the pain overwhelming pain began to fade as her brain worked out the cascade of signals. A migraine forming to go along with her throbbing shoulder. 

Alec brushed red curls out of her face as tears made their way down her cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumb, “Evelyn, what happened? Who did this to you?”

“Lee Ashworth, that’s what happened,” Eve whispered, going to sit up, but Alec tenderly made her lay back down. Alec looked angry, but Eve knew it wasn’t directed at her. She gently reached up with her right hand to brush her fingers softly against his stubble covered cheek, “It’s not your fault, Alec. You didn’t know he’d come here.”

“I should’ve,” Alec argued darkly before his face softened, “Don’t move.” He got up, making a mad dash for the bathroom, coming back with the first aid kit that Eve had stashed under the sink. Alec helped her to sit up against the side of the bed, Iris coming to lick her face enthusiastically. Eve patted Iris weakly with her left hand. Alec took note of the weakness and limp nature of the woman’s left hand and arm, but focused on the back of her head, turning towards the windows. 

Eve smirked, “Oh, are you playing nurse this time.”

“You’re bleeding,” Alec told her seriously, separating her hair to find a surprisingly small cut surrounded by just as small dark purple bruise. It was slightly swollen as well, but not nearly as much as he was expecting. 

Eve saw his surprise out of the corner of her eye. “Time lords are a bit more resilient. Not invulnerable by any means, but it takes a lot more force to do damage.”

“Well, remind me to thank your father for passing on that part of the gene pool,” Alec remarked, wetting a cotton ball with the water from the water bottle that Eve was pointing to. She hissed when the ball was pressed to the small cut. “Why not hydrogen peroxide?” Alec asks her curiously as she’d been quick to point to the water.

“Irritates the skin,” Eve answered as if it was common knowledge. “Larger wounds are different, but with something this small. Water will do.” 

Alec nods as he finishes dabbing the cut, tossing the bloody cotton ball in the bin by the bed. Eve turned to face him, clearly done with being a patient, to see the worried look on his face. She smiles softly, leaning over to kiss him softly before resting her forehead against his, “I’m alright, sweetheart. Nothing to be worried about.”

He opens his mouth to argue, but she just presses her lips against his again. She pulls away giving him a knowing look, “It wasn’t your fault. Although...” she paused before crossing her arms, “I do think I deserve an explanation as to why I just got my head bounced off the door. So, what is going on, Alec?”

Alec looked away, not answering.

Eve glared at him, “Alec.” He looked at her. “You tell me the truth, and you tell me now cause a lot worse than a bump to the head could’ve been waiting for me when I got home. So, I’m only  gonna repeat myself once. What is going on?”

Alec sighed. “It’s Sandbrook,” he answered finally.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Eve said sarcastically. “ ‘ fraid I’m  gonna need a bit more than that. What are Claire and Lee Ashworth doing here?”

“Claire testified against Lee, her husband, and when the case fell apart, she feared for her safety. She begged me to protect her, put her in witness protection,” Alec explained.

“That can’t happen without a conviction,” Eve pointed out.

Alec nodded looking tired, “The reason... I came to Broadchurch, was so I could hide her out here.”

Eve blinked, moving away from him slightly, “What?”

“I came here to hide her from Ashworth.”

Eve shut her eyes as she suddenly became hyperaware of the migraine behind her eyes, “So, you’re telling me that you’ve been hiding her out here for seven months, and not said a word? Forget official police business, why couldn’t you tell me? Don’t not trust me enough? I kept your heart problems a secret for God’s sake!”

Alec reached out to gently grip her hands in his, pulling them to his chest, “Of course I trust you. I trust you completely, Evelyn,” He insisted honestly. His thumbs rub circles into the backs of her hands, “I didn’t want to make you a part of it. Sandbrook has ruined enough lives as it is.”

Eve’s face softened as she scooched closer to him, pulling her hands from his to lay them on his chest, “Alec... you should’ve told me. You can’t keep me in the dark about big things like this just to spare me from having my heartbroken.” She frowned in confusion before nodding towards the broken door, “What did that have to do with Claire being hidden out here?”

Alec’s hands found their way to her waist, “I was under the impression that Lee was still in France, and that Claire was safe. I was told while one my way home that he had returned to the country three days ago.”

“So, he was looking for anything to do with where Claire is?” 

“Probably, yeah.”

Eve’s eyes widen as her right hand moves to grip Alec’s arm, “You still have Sandbrook files in your desk in the living room, don’t you?”

Alec’s eyes widen as well, and both of them rush into the living room, making a bee line for the desk. Eve pulled out her fountain pen, hitting a button on the side, causing the  tip of the barrel to emit a blue light as Alec fumbled with his keys. Eve quickly pressed the tip of her pen to the lock on the drawer of the desk, and it clicked as it unlocked. Alec looked on in shock as Eve pulled the drawer open. Eve rolled her eyes as him. “It’s a sonic pen, it can do a bunch of stuff like unlock doors, but doesn’t work on wood. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know,” Eve rambled off quickly in one breath before gesturing for him to look through the files.

He shook his head, looking shuffling through them quickly, but looked relieved when he realized that nothing was missing. Eve let out a breath in relief as well. 

Alec watched her stretch the fingers of her left hand causing her hand to tremble at the effort of trying to make the muscles work. He reached out for her left hand causing her to look at him curiously. “I’m not letting anything happen to you again. I promise.”

Eve looked at him sadly, “I’m not worried about me, Alec. It could have just as easily been you that got here first. Just the surprise of seeing Lee could have put too much stress on you heart, let alone him attacking you. I’m more worried about you burying yourself into this, and killing yourself over it.”

Alec looked floored. He often was when Eve got like this. Here she was reminding him that she fully expected to have a life and future with him at the center. Him. The grouchy former detective in his mid-40s, divorced, with a daughter. Eve was half his age as well. She could’ve had any man she wanted, and yet here she was. Wanting him, and only him. It was at that moment, standing with her in their living room, her confessing that she was worried more about him when she was the one that got attacked, when he realized he wanted to marry her. He had to have her or he’d regret it for the rest of his life. However, long that may be.

“Alec!” Eve’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Alec sighed, pulling her against his chest, “I’m sorry I’ve caused you to become a part of this.”

Eve wrapped her arms around his torso, “It be. No matter what you think, you couldn’t have predicted this.”

“I have to close this case,” Alec told her. 

Eve pulled back, resting a hand against his chest, right over his heart, “I know you do, but you’ve got to be careful. I can’t relieve the shipyard, Alec. I do it enough in my dreams.”

“That won’t happen again,” Alec assured her. “I got a letter from my doctor about the operation...”

“Pacemaker?” Eve asked, and he nodded. Eve glanced down at her hand, over his heart, “You’re thinking about having it done?”

“I know it’s a big risk, but...” he started.

Eve let out a shaky breath, gently patting his chest, “It’s a bigger risk if you don’t. I’m terrified of losing you either way, but it’s your decision ultimately. Not mine.”

“You’re not going to lose me,” He promised, cupping her face, leaning down to kiss her.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The next day, Ellie was confused and irritated to walk out of her therapist's office to see Eve and Alec waiting by her car. Eve played with the drawstrings at the waist of her black anorak jacket that she was wearing as she watched Ellie walk down the stairs with an annoyed look on her face.

“Go away!” Ellie told them. “What are you doing here?”

Alec nodded towards the building Ellie had come out of, “It’s your appointment.”

Ellie glared at Eve, “I told you in confidence.”

Eve looks at her apologetically, “I know, but this is important.”

“Why’d you bring him though?” 

“Shut up!” Alec interrupted.

Ellie rolled her eyes as she threw her bright orange jacket in the back of her car, “That’s right. Stalk me and insult me and you wonder why you’re divorced.”

“Oi!” Eve exclaimed giving Ellie a warning look. 

“I’m in trouble,” Alec told her.

“So am I, if I don’t collect Fred from the child minder’s,” Ellie countered.

“Seriously. I sort of need your help too.””

Ellie looked between Alec and Eve, who both gave her pleading expressions. She sighed, “Get in. For God’s sake!”

Alec got in the front with Ellie, while Eve got in the back, more than happy to entertain little Fred on the drive after they picked him up. 

“This needs to stay between the three of us. You need to promise me,” Alec told Ellie.

“How long’s this  gonna take?” Ellie demanded, glancing in the rearview mirror to see Eve whispering animatedly to Fred about God knows what.

“Promise me,” he insisted.

“Am I going to be annoyed by this?”

“Oh, most  definitely ,” Eve piped up from the back.

“Next left,” Alec directed.

They pulled up to a little house to see Claire walk out, “What’s going on? Who are they?”

“Miller, Claire, “Alec introduced the two women since Eve was still getting Fred out of his car seat.

“Ellie. Hi,” Ellie waved as Eve walked up to stand beside Alec with Fred on her hip, and a diaper bag on her shoulder. 

Alec nodded to the redhead, “Eve, Claire.”

Eve just nodded to the woman, glad that Alec hadn’t used her full first name in this instance.

Claire just glared at Alec, “Why are you bringing people here?”

“They’ll help,” Alec told her.

“No one’s supposed to know,” she emphasized.

“You’re worried. They’ll look after you,” Alec promised.

All three women looked at him in surprise, “What?”

“Let’s not do this out here. Inside,” he ordered, already walking in. Eve rolled her eyes, following after him as Fred began to tug gently on her dark red hair.

Eve and Ellie sat up Fred with his toys, and Claire smiled at the small boy, “He’s gorgeous!”

“He’s quite sleepy,” Ellie commented as she watched her youngest son draw with Eve’s pen in the empty notebook the woman had also produced mysteriously from her pockets. 

“What is he? Two?” Claire asked curiously.

“Nearly. You got kids?” Ellie asked. Claire suddenly got quiet, averting her eyes to look at Alec. Ellie frowned, “Oh, Sorry.” She looked at Alec, “Is she your ex-wife?”

“Him? Please?” Claire snorted, causing Eve to frown. Why couldn’t anyone ever believe that Alec was capable of landing himself a woman.

“Not my ex-wife,” Alec corrected.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Ellie demanded.

Claire looked hesitantly at both women before sharing a look with Alec.

“I trust them. They can help,” he assured her, watching as Fred toddled over to Eve, who happily pulled the boy into her lap, bouncing him on her knee. 

Claire nodded, “Go on, then. Tell them. You obviously want to.”

Alec looked at Ellie, “It’s a sort of witness protection.”

“What?” Ellie asked at a loss. “How can you be running witness protection?”

“I said, sort of, not officially, but she is under my care,” he clarified.

“What do you mean ‘not officially’? You’ve been  hiding her here?”

“No one knows, and no one can know.”

Ellie stared at him in shock, “Are you out of your head? Oh, tell me you haven’t done this.” She looked at Eve, who was making faces at her son, “Did he tell you about this?”

Eve looked up with an annoyed look on her face, “He told me yesterday.”

Ellie rolled her eyes before turning to Claire, “A witness to what, that you have to be holed up here?”

Claire looked at Alec, “Tell her.”

Alec sighed. “My last case before I came to Broadchurch. Sandbrook.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“There were two girls, cousins. Lisa Newbery, 19, was babysitting her 12-year-old cousin Pippa. Pippa’s parents went away for the night to a friend’s wedding. When they came back the next day, both girls were gone. The 12-year-old, Pippa, her body was found three days later. The 19-year-old, Lisa... officially she’s still missing. Our main suspect was a man called Lee Ashworth, but he had a solid alibi,” Alec explained to Ellie as Eve wrote an abridged version of what he’d said in her journal as she sat in front of him at the kitchen table. The other three standing around it.

“Which was what?” Ellie asked.

“Me,” Claire admitted with shame in her tone. “I said I was with Lee all night.”

“Was that true?”

Alec crossed his arms over his chest as Claire went on, “No. No, I was at a friend's house, but Alec worked out that I was lying, and he promised, if I told the truth, Lee would be convicted. It was a big risk for me.”

“Why?”

“Lee’s my husband.”

Ellie’s mouth dropped open in shock, “Oh, God.”

“Yeah. The trial collapsed, and Lee walked a free man. I asked Alec if he would protect me.”

“So, that’s what this place is all about,” Ellie scoffed. She looked at Alec, “You can’t just keep her here. There are official channels,  procedure .”

Eve shook her head, “Not if the person accused walked free.”

Claire nodded in  agreement, "There's not witness protection, there’s nothing. I’d be abandoned if it wasn’t for Alec.”

“How long have you been here?” Ellie asked curiously.

“Seven months or so?”

Ellie frowned, turning back to Alec, “No, if you’ve been here seven months...”

Alec averted his gaze, “When I came to Broadchurch. That’s why I came to Broadchurch. I took the job, so I could keep Claire safe here.”

She glared at him, yelling, “You wanker!” Ellie stormed out of the kitchen back into the living room where Fred was resting. 

Eve didn’t look at all surprised as she stuffed her pen and journal back in her jacket, “Yup. There it is.”

Alec walked out after Ellie, “No, Miller, don’t!” 

Claire shared a look with Eve, “That went well.”

“Always does with those two,” she remarked, following after them.

“Fred, darling, we’re going,” Ellie told her son, ignoring Alec.

“Miller, stop!”

She pointed at him warningly, “You took the job earmarked for me because of her.”

“Get over the bloody job!” Alec shouted as Eve rushed into the room.

Eve looked between them exasperatedly, “If I have to hear about the fucking DI job one more time, I will smack the life  outta both of you!”

Eve’s threat didn’t deter Ellie one bit as she kept drilling Alec, “Do you not see how stupid you’re being? What are you thinking?”

“I’ve got a plan,” Alec insisted.

“Yeah, well, it’s shit!” Both women scoffed.

“What if Lee Ashworth comes looking for her?” Ellie poised to him.

“I want him to,” Alec revealed.

Eve clears her throat, moving the collar of her jacket out of the way, “He already has.”

Ellie’s eyes widen, “Oh my God! Are you alright?”

“Course,” Eve assured. “Just needed me  unconscious , so he could snoop around the house.”

Ellie turns to glare at Alec again, “That’s your plan?”

“Just stay a bit longer, get to know Claire. Have dinner, have some drinks, you can all stay the night,” Alec pleaded.

“Oh, have a sleepover!” Ellie mocked, pulling a giggle from Eve.

“She needs someone like you and you're not exactly overloaded for friends besides Eve and I right now!” Alec pointed out.

“Thanks a lot!” Ellie exclaimed sarcastically.

“There’s even room here for...” he gestured towards Ellie’s youngest son, blanking on his name. 

“Fred,” Eve whispered.

“Fred,” Alec repeated, stepping in Ellie’s way as she went to leave. “Please, Miller. Please, listen, I need to know I got Sandbrook right in the end. I can’t do it on my own.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve let out a breath, collapsing on the bed she would be sharing with Ellie after shucking her jacket off and shoes off , "This is so not what I had in mind for tonight.”

Ellie chuckled as she threw a blue nightgown on, “How exactly does that work with his... you know?”

Eve leans up on her elbows, wiggling her eyebrows, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

There was a knock on the door. “There’s extra blankets in the cupboard, girls,” Claire told them.

“Thanks,” Eve raised her voice. 

Ellie opened the cupboard to grab another blanket for Eve when something wrapped in a piece of linen fell out. Both women shared a look before Ellie leant down to pick it up, hiding it behind her back when there was another knock on the door. “You all right in there, ladies?” Alec’s voice drifted through the door.

“Don’t come in!” Ellie told him quickly.

“Course I’m not coming in. I’m on the sofa.”

Eve waved Ellie off as she opened the door to poke her head out, “We’re fine, love. Goodnight.”

Alec leaned down to kiss her, “Night. Love you."

"Love you too, dear," Eve called, watching him walk off before quickly shutting the door, crawling back onto the bed to sit beside Ellie as she unfolded the linen to reveal a letter addressed to Claire. Ellie opened it to reveal a pressed bluebell. Eve carefully held it up, her eyes furrowing as she looked at it.

Ellie glanced between the bluebell and the redhead, “Any feelings?”

Eve shook her head, “Nothing yet. I’m afraid.”

Ellie nodded as the redhead put the bluebell back in the letter before wrapping it back up and putting it back in the cupboard, making a mental note to tell Alec about it later.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Okay , thanks, yeah. Be there as soon as we can,” Alec said hanging up his phone as he came down the stairs. “Miller, I need you to drive Eve and I.”

Eve looked up at him tiredly with no makeup on her face to hide the bruising on her jaw, having washed it off the night before. Ellie put down the bowl of oatmeal, she was trying to feed Fred, “No, we didn’t sleep well, thanks for asking. Get a taxi.”

“A taxi will take too long. We need to be there now,” Alec told her as Eve stood up flipping her jacket around her head, so that she could put it on without raising her left arm. 

“Get your own car,” Ellie countered.

“I can’t,” Alec confessed. “Medically,” he reminded. “Can we go?”

“Go where?” Claire asked, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.

“I call you,” Alec said quickly, taking Eve’s hand pulling her out of the room. “Miller, come on!”

Ellie sighed, setting down the bowl in her hand, “See you.”

“Look at the two of you, his little puppies,” Claire remarked getting an annoyed look from Ellie. Claire waved at Fred, “Hey, Fred, you going too? Bye, bye! Come back soon!”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”You know the wardrobe in that bedroom?” Ellie asked Alec. “We found a letter wrapped in cloth. Well, I say letter, it was a bluebell in an envelope.”

Alec was silent for a minute, “What do you mean a bluebell?”

“Just a bluebell. One singular bluebell,” Eve clarified from the backseat with Fred, where she was using the little mirror on the back of the passenger seat to apply make up to hide the massive bruise on her jaw.

“This right, here,” Alec directed.

Ellie frowned when she recognized the road she was on, “Is this the road to the church?”

“I know,” Alec said.

“Why are we going to the church?”

“Just let me and Evelyn out and drive away,” he ordered.

“No.”

When they arrived at the church, there were SOCO vans in the parking lot. Paul rushed over to meet Alec and Eve as they quickly got out of the car.

“Tell me they’re not  gonna do this,” Alec begged.

“They’ve got a court order,” Paul told him before noticing Ellie. “Ellie?”

“Would somebody tell me what’s going on?” Ellie asked in confusion, locking her car, leaving Fred to sleep peacefully.

“Back in the car, Miller!” Alec ordered.

The trio and Paul walked through the cemetery. “Joe’s legal team have requested a new autopsy on Danny’s body,” Paul explained. “It means an official exhumation.”

“Oh, God, no,” Ellie groaned.

Eve picked up the pace when she saw John’s familiar auburn hair. He looked at his sister apologetically, “I couldn’t stop them. Not with the court order.”

She pats his  shoulder comfortingly, “I know, it’s okay.”

“Give me that. Give me that,” Alec ordered the uniformed officer holding said court order. Eve hurried, over to his side to read over his  shoulder .

Paul looked behind him to see the Latimer’s, Nigel, Jocelyn Knight, and Ben walking through the cemetery. “Ellie,  “he tried to warn.

“My boy is in there!” Mark shouted. “You! Why can’t you let him rest, eh?”

“I’m so sorry,” Paul apologized as Alec and Eve looked over at the commotion. Eve’s eyes widening as she hurried over to Ellie’s side. 

“You couldn’t resist, could you?” Beth asked Ellie. 

“I didn’t know this was happening,” Ellie told her. 

“No, you never do. This is on you, Ellie. I hope you rot in hell for what you’ve done to us!”

“Hey!” Eve shouted getting in between the two women, “Back the hell up, Beth! Ellie has nothing what so ever to do with this.”

“Piss off!” Beth spat at the redhead before she was led away by Chloe. 

“Do something, Paul,” Mark begged, tearfully.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Paul continued to apologize.

Mark lunged towards the men exhuming Danny’s body, resulting in Nige, Paul, John, and Eve holding him back. Then, Nige led him away from the  ongoing exhumation.

Eve and Ellie walked back over to Alec, who looked at Ellie, “You all right?”

Ellie didn’t answer as Eve gently rubbed her back.

Alec turned to look around, but froze when he saw a figure standing on the hill by the church. Eve and Ellie saw him too. “Who’s that?” Ellie asked.

“It’s Lee Ashworth,” Alec told her lowly.

“You’re kidding.”

“Look at him standing there, gloating.”

“Why are you so sure he killed those girls?” Ellie questioned curiously as Eve reached out for Alec’s hand. 

“What makes you think he didn’t?” Eve counters quietly. 


	21. Memories and Secrets

Teaching might have been a secret talent of Eve’s, but it was absolute hell for Alec. He couldn’t muster the adrenaline that came along with being a detective when he stood in front of the small class of students. 

“At fixed intervals during the probationary period you’ll have a review. Conducted by the Learning Development Officer,” he monotoned. He couldn’t even pretend to enjoy teaching under his Chief’s watchful eye as she stalked down the steps. “This will establish whether or not you have met the required standards to be an efficient and effective police officer.” 

Alec couldn’t hide his relief when he saw Eve leaning against a lamppost across the street, clearly having been waiting for him to finish his class. However, that was contrasted by the irritation he felt when his Chief followed him out, berating him, “Why the hell did you say yes to this job if you don’t enjoy it?” 

“Not that bad, am I?” he asked. 

“You’ll demotivate our entire intake. The boredom drips off you,” she reprimanded him. 

“I was good at my job,” Alec griped, locking eyes with Eve across the street. He wanted to be a DI again. He wanted to solve cases with Eve as his side, not teach a younger generation of police officers to do it and muck it up. 

“Yeah, and you’re not longer fit for it. So, get good at this one or do something else,” she told him with finality, walking off, missing the look Alec sent her way. 

Eve pushed off the lamppost to meet him on his side of the street, “She’s right, you know. You shouldn’t do something you don’t enjoy.” 

“Well, what I enjoy isn’t an option at the moment,” Alec snapped. 

Eve sighed, “I know. You don’t have to snap at me, grumpy.” 

Alec lets out a deep breath, reaching out for her hand, “I’m sorry. I’m just... frustrated.” 

Eve raises an eyebrow, “Really? Couldn’t tell.” 

Alec gives her a look to which she only beams at him, causing a small smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. “How was your day?” 

“Dreadfully boring,” Eve muttered. “Not exactly a difficult job when there isn’t a serious crime.” 

“Both of us had shitty days, then?” he remarked. 

“I suppose so,” she sighed, resting her head against his shoulder as they walked. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

They were walking through the field that connected to the back of their house when Alec’s phone rang. “Sorry,” he muttered, letting go of Eve’s hand to pull it out of his pocket. “Hi.” 

“Alec, Lee just called and left me a message. How did he get my number?” Claire’s panicked filled voice startled him. 

Alec remained calm, “Okay. What did he say?” 

“He said he’s close,” Claire emphasized. 

Feeling eyes on her, Eve turned to see Lee standing a few yards away, and she groped for Alec’s arm blindly with her right hand. Alec turned at her urgent tapping at his arm to see him as well. “Claire, I promise you’re safe. Just stay there. I’ve got to go,” he rushed, hanging up on her. 

He turned to Eve, “Get inside.” 

Eve looked at him in bafflement, “What the hell are you going on about ‘get inside’? I’m not leaving you to deal with him alone.” 

“Evelyn,” Alec said lowly in warning. 

Eve didn’t heed it. “No. I’m not go-” 

“EVELYN, GO INSIDE!” He yelled loudly at her. 

Eve looked at him in shock, he’d raised his voice at her before, sure, but he’d never yelled at her. She swallowed her responding yell of her own when she took noticed the blatant fear and haunted in his eyes. Then, it hit her why he wanted her to go inside. It wasn’t that he thought she couldn’t handle Lee if something were to go down. He was reliving walking in to find her unconscious. She could understand the feeling well enough. There were nights when she woke up screaming for Alec, having relived watching in collapse. 

Eve nodded; her eyes still wide. “Okay. Okay,” she told him placatingly with a hint of understanding in her voice, “I’ll go inside. Just... be careful.” 

“I will. Now, go!” Alec told her again urgently, even giving her a gentle push towards their house. 

Eve slowly made her way to the house as Alec made his way over to Lee. Eve didn’t do exactly as was asked of her as she kept her head peeping out of the slightly cracked fence gate, watching the two men from afar. 

“What do you want?” Alec demanded. 

“Where’s Claire?” Lee asked evenly. 

“Why would I know?” Alec feigned ignorance. 

Lee glared at him, “Don’t mess me about. I wanna see her.” 

“Lisa Newbury’s parents wanna see their daughter,” Alec countered. 

“For the last time... I had nothing to do with that,” Lee snarled lowly. 

“I don’t believe you.” 

“You got it wrong. It’s over.” 

“Not for the parents. Not for me,” Alec told him. 

“What about for me?” Lee said, taking a step closer to him. “I lost my whole life ‘cos of you. I had to leave the country.” 

“So, why’d you come back?” Alec asked. 

“I want my life back,” Lee explained. “Now, tell me where I find Claire, or do I have to follow you and your slag around everywhere?” 

Alec felt his anger rise at the insult towards Eve, “Yeah, give it a go.” 

Lee slowly took a card from his pocket and stuffed it into Alec’s coat. “Here’s my number. You tell her to call me.” He turned back and started walking away, but not without snidely remarking, “Sorry about your health.” 

“What did you say?” Alec asked him, affronted. 

Lee turned to him, looking innocent, “Someone said you were sick.” 

Alec breathed angrily before stalking off towards his house, giving Eve a knowing look when he saw her head poking out of the fence gate, “I thought I told you to go inside.” 

“Yeah, well... I half listened,” she countered. “What did he want?” 

“What do you think?” 

“Claire,” Eve said in understanding as they rounded the side of the house. 

They walked through the door that still had a broken glass panel to see Ellie sitting on the couch with one of Alec’s Sandbrook case files. The anger welled up in Alec again, shouting, “What the hell are you doing?” 

Ellie quickly shut the file, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, “Nothing.” 

Alec ripped the file out of her hand, shoving in back in his desk, “Put it away! God’s sake, Miller!” 

“Don’t have a go at me,” she cried defensively. 

“How dare you!” Alec yelled. “I ask one bloody favor and you start snooping around.” 

“Why are you still going over that stuff anyway?” Ellie counters. 

“None of your business,” he growled. 

“You’ve made it my business,” Ellie pointed out. 

Their argument quickly ended when a shrill whistle rang through the house causing Iris to shoot of the bedroom to sit at Eve’s feet. Both Alec and Ellie looked at Eve, who was shaking her head exasperatedly at them, “Are you both bloody joking, right now?” She pointed at Ellie, “You shouldn’t be snooping.” Alec looked smugly at the other woman, but it fell when Eve pointed at him, “Don’t look so smug over there. You asked for her help, which means she does have some right to see those files.” 

Eve didn’t get to continue her bollocking because her phone rang, but she gave them both an angry look as she answered it. “Yes? …Yeah. I’m with them both right now actually.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Did she say what she wanted?” Ellie asked Eve as the three of them trekked up a hill towards Jocelyn Knight’s house. Eve had worked with her a few times in court before she retired. “What do you think it is?” 

Eve shot Ellie a dirty look, “I don’t know. Stop asking me questions. I’m still cross with you two.” 

It was silent for a minute before Alec said, “Ashworth came to see me earlier. Said he’s looking for Claire and he’s not gonna stop till he finds her.” 

“Well, you said that’s what you wanted. Now you’ve got it,” Ellie muttered as they approached Jocelyn’s gate, the older woman walking out to meet them. 

Eve nodded to her, “Jocelyn. Always a pleasure.” 

“And you,” the woman replied politely. 

“Alec Hardy,” Alec introduced himself. 

“I know.” 

“Ellie. Ellie Miller,” Ellie introduced as well. 

The woman didn’t reply as she opened the gate. “Come in,” she said ushering them into her seaside home. 

Ellie looked out the sliding glass door at the beach, “Wow. Look at that view. I’ve always envied this house. How long you been here?” Alec and Ellie turned to see that Jocelyn and Eve had already sat down across from each other. 

“Please have a seat,” Jocelyn told them, not making any effort to welcome them, getting straight to business. Alec sat down on Eve’s right while Ellie took the redhead’s left. “Do you three understand how a prosecution case is built in court? It’s my responsibility to prove your husband’s guilt beyond doubt, and like DI Smith can tell you, I do this by building a wall of evidence, in front of the jury, brick by brick. Each piece of evidence is a new brick. When it’s built, the wall is unassailable.” Not one member of the trio looked confused, so she went on. “Right. Some bricks are more important than others. Cornerstones, for example. A confession by the accused. Absolutely crucial.” 

“What did you call us here for?” Alec asked, growing tired of hearing information that the three of them had spent their entire careers gaining experience with. 

Frowning, Jocelyn picked up one of her own files, handing it to Ellie, who opened it to reveal pictures of Joe’s injuries after Ellie had beaten the crap out of him in the interrogation room. Alec leaned with his arm on the couch behind Eve to see the photos as well. Eve didn’t look, she’d seen what her shoulder looked like, so she could image what Joe looked like. “You assaulted Joe Miller in the interview room at Broadchurch police station.” She glanced at Eve, “Injuring a fellow police officer in the process.” She turned to look at Alec, “All while you stood and watched.” 

“Oh, God,” Ellie muttered as she lifted up the picture of Joe’s injuries to reveal a startling image of a large dark blue and purple bruise at the area where Eve’s shoulder connected to her neck. 

“I have seen the tape. What the hell were you doing?” Jocelyn stared at Ellie like she was a child. 

“I was upset,” Ellie excused weakly as she stared at the picture. She’d never seen the damage she’d done to Eve’s shoulder. Never knew the full extent. “I didn’t believe what was happening and I asked to see my husband.” 

“Police brutality?’ Jocelyn scoffed incredulously. “Extracting a confession through violence?” 

“It had been a very intense day,” Alec explained. “It was an error of judgement, but Evelyn tried to stop her, and I had her removed as fast as I could.” 

“How am I supposed to deal with this in court? Hm? Do you realize how the defense will use this?’ 

Eve nodded, taking the file out of Ellie’s hands, “Yeah. I do. They’re going to try and get it excluded.” 

“But how can you not have realized this was coming?” 

“Well, he confessed. He was gonna plead guilty,” Ellie reminded. 

“And you giving him a kicking, and injuring DI Smith in the process, gave him an opportunity not to,” Jocelyn countered. “If they don’t get it excluded straight away, which is definitely possible, you have to go on stand and defend it. So, you better start thinking how you’re going to justify what happened that day, because we need this evidence in. We can’t afford to lose this confession.” 

“His confession happened before I even saw him,” Ellie pointed out. 

“Won’t make a blind bit of difference,” Jocelyn told her. “All the defense needs to do is connect the two events by suggestion. You have jeopardized my best chance of success before we even got going.” 

Eve ran a hand down her face, squeezing her eyes shut, “Fuck.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Why didn’t you stop me sooner that day?” Ellie asked as she and Alec sat on a bench on the boardwalk at the beach as Eve paced back and forth with her hands on her hips, running her hands through her hair every once in a while, in frustration. 

Eve froze mid-step, turning to Ellie with a dark look on her face. “You really want to go there?” she asked lowly. 

Ellie looked down guiltily, “No, sorry.” She glanced at Alec, “Why did you let me see him?” 

“I felt sorry for you,” he lamented. “I didn’t expect to you to go all Bruce Lee on him.” 

“Everyone will find out now,” Ellie complained, putting her face in her hands. “Shit. Tom will hear about it. His mum beating up his Dad in a police station. Oh, God. What do I do? I just wanna run away, or hide, or emigrate, or... oh, God.” 

“What have you two eaten today?” Alec asked the two women abruptly. 

“KitKat and a Scotch egg,” Ellie answered. 

“Nothing. Wasn’t hungry,” Eve muttered, still pacing like her life depended on it. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Cutlery scraped against glass plates with a forget-me-not pattern as Eve, Alec, and Ellie quietly ate lunch, which consisted of salads, at the small table in Alec and Eve’s little blue house. 

“Claire needs to meet Ashworth,” Alec tells them.” I wanna put them together.” 

Eve choked lightly on a piece of lettuce as Ellie asked, “And you don’t see that as a risk?” 

“No. No, it’s not a risk, it’s an opportunity,” he corrected. “It’s only gonna come once.” 

“Do it officially,” Ellie suggested. “Get Eve to set up some surveillance.” 

“I could do that, yeah,” Eve agreed. “Put my nuisance of a brother onto it.” 

“Nobody cares,” Alec pointed out with a frustrated snarl. “The case is tainted. Nobody besides Evelyn has ever wanted to go near it. That’s my failing. I’ve got to put it right.” 

“What if he didn’t do it?” Ellie asked after a moment of hesitation. “What if you’re wrong?” 

“Just help me convince, Claire,” Alec muttered as Eve leaned over to rub his arm in a comforting manner. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”You risked everything for me, and I let you down,” Alec admitted, trying to convince Claire to meet with Lee. 

“Yes,” Claire agreed. 

“But there are two families back in Sandbrook. The Gillespies still don’t know who killed their daughter. The Newbury’s don’t even have a body,” Alec reminded. 

“Why is this on me?” Claire asked. 

“ ‘cos he trusts you,” Alec explained. 

“Don’t make me see him,” she begged quietly from her seat across from the trio at the kitchen table. 

“We’ll protect you,” he promised. 

“No, I can’t go back to that, please.” 

Ellie stood up, tugging on Eve’s cardigan sleeve, so that the redhead would do the same, “Come on, get your coat.” 

“What for?” Claire asked in confusion. 

“Miller?” Alec asked in an equal amount of confusion. 

Eve pointed at him, “Ignore grumpy here. We’re gonna get some air just us girls. Come on.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The abandoned wives and the curious redhead sat against one of the numerous sheds along the beach with greasy paper plates of chips, munching away and chatting. “These are the best chips I’ve had in my life,” Claire commented. 

“Oh, the chippy here always does a brilliant job,” Eve agreed. 

“I’ll let you into a secret. We had salad earlier. I hate salad,” Ellie confessed with a grin. “How have you not gone crackers up in the cottage? No work, no friends?” 

Claire scoffed, “I know. I used to be a hairdresser before all this. Talking all day.” 

“Will you do mine one time?” Ellie requested. 

“If you like,” Claire agreed before looking past Ellie to the redhead that was staring at the ocean. “What about you?” 

Eve quickly shook her head, “No, but thank you for the offer. Usually just do it myself. Bit picky about who goes near these red curls with scissors. Had one too many bad haircuts as a child.” 

“Can’t blame you there,” Claire remarked. “It’s quite lovely.” 

“Oh, thank you.” 

“Is that how you met your husband? Hairdressing?” Ellie asked somberly. 

“More or less,” Claire answered. “Client of mine was having a barbecue. I was new to the area, Lee was there. Fancied him as soon as I saw him. It was like a chemical reaction. Three hours later, I was shagging him on his floor.” 

“You weren’t,” Ellie exclaimed. “Wow. I’ve never done anything like that.” 

“You must have,” Claire responded in disbelief. 

“I haven’t.” 

“How’d you meet your husband?” 

Both Eve and Ellie tensed. “Best not,” Ellie tried to deflect. 

“Oh, go on,” Claire encouraged. 

Ellie sighed, staring at the water. “It was a traffic accident. A little old lady in a Nissan Micra. Gone into the back of a Land Rover. Bit of a bump. Just minor whiplash. I was a WPC and Joe was a paramedic.” Ellie couldn’t help the smile that came over her face. “He was kind and twinkly, and I thought, ‘I like the look of you.’ I didn’t tell him, though, for another six weeks. Then, we kept bumping into each other. He said, ‘We must stop meeting like this.’” 

Claire smiled at the story before glancing at Eve, who was playing with her necklace with a reminiscent smile on her face. “And you, Eve? How did you meet Alec?” 

Eve’s head snapped to them as if she’d only just realized the other two women were still talking. She cleared her throat, “Oh. I’d hate to embarrass him.” 

Ellie perks up, “You have to tell us now.” 

Eve sighed with a large smile on her face. “Well... it was about a week before Ellie came back to work from her vacation in Florida. Alec was the new DI, but I hadn’t met him yet. We both ended up at a call-out. Domestic disturbance. Over and done with after a quick flash of a badge, you know. Anyway, we were walking back to the car, and uh... I tripped over a stupid branch that I hadn’t seen cause I’m a klutz like that. Ended up knocking him over on my way down, and of course he was grumpy about it. When is he not? But, um... despite that he was still a gentleman and helped me up.”

She laughed a little, “He asked me, ‘Do you make it a habit of falling and taking whoever closest down with you?’ Liked that broody Scottish accent right away. Granted, this was the first time I’d met him, so I didn’t really think much of him. Didn’t really know him. I was looking at him though, his hands still on my waist from where he’d helped me up and I thought, ‘Not bad. You’re okay.' Don’t think I could’ve gone for someone who was unbelievably handsome... not to say that Alec isn’t handsome, because he is. God, he is. It’s just that those guys that are like outrageously good looking tend to be about as dull as a brick wall.”

Eve paused for a minute, “Anyway... I thought he was okay. Little grumpy, but okay. Over time though, his face just sort of became him. Like who he is was written all over it. My aunt Amy likes to say that sometimes you meet someone, who’s okay, but then you get to know them and they become something so beautiful because you love them so much.” Eve smiled lovingly down at her hands, “Alec’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.” She has tears in her eyes as she looks back at the two women to see them smiling softly at her. “The rest is history.” 

All three women were silent for a while after Eve had essentially poured her hearts out to them. “Do you think Lee killed those girls?” Ellie asked Claire, breaking the silence. 

“I can’t bear to think about it,” Claire said. 

“Do you think he was capable of it?” 

“I don’t know. Do you think your husband was?” Claire countered bitterly, sobering once the words left her mouth. 

“Claire, if you did agree to meet Lee...” Eve started seriously. 

Claire shook her head, “I put myself on the line before and it went wrong, and I ended up a prisoner down here.” 

“I understand that,” Eve replied sympathetically. 

“No, you don’t,” she snapped. 

“But if your still hiding, what happens? The Sandbrook families will never get the truth,” Ellie tried to appeal to her. 

“Not my responsibility.” 

Eve frowned, “I know you don’t want it to be, but I’m afraid it is.” 

“Look at what these men have done to us, Ellie” Claire scoffed, ignoring the redhead in favor of the other woman, gesturing animatedly with her chips. “It was like I was addicted to him. Like he was my drug, and I broke that habit, Ellie, and I’m afraid if I’m near him again... I’m scared.” 

“We’ll look after you,” Ellie promised. 

“Why would you two do that?” Claire asked in bafflement. 

Ellie looked away, “ ‘Cos my life, my old life, is gone. I made so many mistakes.” She glanced at Eve. “Some big ones, and I need to put something right. We could do it together.” 

Eve sighed, “As for me? Well... I like to help people, but most of all I can’t resist when Alec asks for my help. I need to help you to help him, so yeah. Help where I am needed, that’s me.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was very late at night when Ellie and Eve arrived back at the little blue house on the water. Eve stuck her hand in her pocket for her keys, stomping her foot silently when she couldn’t find them, “Damn! They must at the bottom.” She looked through the window to see Alec asleep on the couch, Iris laying down on the floor next to him. Eve couldn’t help the smile on her face when she saw that he was still wearing his glasses. 

Ellie reached out to knock on the door when she realized that the redhead was probably content to creepily watch Alec sleep through the window all night if she could.

Alec breathed in surprise upon waking up. Wincing at the pain in his chest as he sat up, pulling his glasses off as he walked over to open the door, letting Eve slide past him to greet Iris, who happily licked her face. 

“She’ll do it. Claire’s agreed to meet him,” Ellie informed Alec. 

“Oh, Miller, Evelyn, I could kiss you both,” Alec breathed. 

Ellie grimaced at the thought while Eve immediately saddled up beside him for said kiss, which he readily gave before pulling away when Ellie sighed. “Just promise me that she’ll be safe, and you’re not gonna do anything reckless.” 

Alec nodded, “She’ll be safe.” 

Neither woman looked like they believed him. 

“Nothing reckless. She’ll be safe,” he repeated. 

Eve nodded, patting his chest, having noticed that he was breathing a bit heavily, and went to get him a pill. 

Alec quickly took advantage of being alone with Ellie, “I need your help with something."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve came back a few moments later with a pill in one hand and a glass of water in the other to find Alec and Ellie whispering hurriedly with one another. She raised an eyebrow, clearing her throat, both of them whipping around with wide eyes. Eve cocked her head, “Care share with the class?” 

Alec shook his head, “It’s not important.” He took the pill from her hand, popping it in his mouth before chasing it down with water. 

Eve looked between them suspiciously, “Uh huh.” She sighed, shaking her head, “Whatever... keep your secrets, then. I’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure.” 

Ellie suddenly looked very excited, but quickly hid it when Alec shot her a look. Ellie nodded to both of them, needing to leave before she spoiled the secret, “Good night.” 

“Night,” Eve replied quietly, heading towards the bedroom change into pajamas. 

“See you,” Alec told her as Ellie walked away. 


	22. Anger is the Quickest Way to a Mistake

Alec watched Eve as she got dressed in a red button down, a red blazer, black flares, and a pair of red  converse shoes.

“If they call you today, you need to keep you calm disposure. Don’t let them bait you," he reminded her as she pulled her hair out from under her blazer.

Eve rolls her eyes, “I know, Alec. Not my first trial, and most definitely not my first-time giving evidence.” An annoyed look made itself home on her  face, "I can practically see the mud Sharon Bishop is going to sling around just to try and get Joe off.”

“Evelyn,” he said warningly as she walked over to tie his tie for him, which had become a habit of hers over the past seven months. 

“I’m too smart for it,” Eve reminded. “Being what I am, I’ve gotten quite good at double speaking to avoid suspicion while still technically, technically telling the truth. You didn’t suspect a thing till I told you.”

“You hide it well,” Alec complimented, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You incredibly,” a kiss on her right cheek, “sexy,” kiss on the left, “gorgeous,” kiss on the  nose, "little minx,” he finished pressing his lip against hers.

Eve giggled against his lips, pulling away with a knowing look, “I’m afraid we don’t have the time, dear.”

Alec groaned, following her to the front door, “Aren’t you the one always saying, ‘waste time when you don’t have any’?”

Eve wiggled her eyebrows, “Oh, so you do listen to me?”

“To you? Always. Couldn’t tear my attention away.”

“Sap,” Eve snorts lightly.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Inside the courthouse, Eve, Alec, and Ellie sat on the upper floor at a round table. Eve was picking nervously at her nails when Ellie griped, “I can’t  believe we have to be here until we give evidence. I could be days. I’ll go mad.” She noticed that Alec was looking downstairs distractedly, “Are you listening to me?”

He wasn’t. He’d caught sight of Lee Ashworth leaning against a post on the floor below, staring right at the three of them. With a blank face, Alec stood up and stalked down the stairs, and right up to him, “She’ll see you. I decide when, where, and for how long. I’ll pick you up from an agreed location. I’ll text you the details.”

Lee chuckled lightly, “So, she’s been with you all along.”

“It won’t be a long meeting and I’ll be watching,” he added.

Lee glared, getting in his face, “You don’t control us.”

Alec could just make out Eve standing up, grabbing his coat off the railing, heading for the stairs with Ellie following after her.

“No,” Alec turned, seeing the two women half way down the stairs, walking towards them.

“She’s quite alluring, by the way,” Lee’s voice made him halt, and whip around.

“What did you just say?” Alec asked his voice dangerously low.

Lee didn’t answerer, smirking as he sent a glance at the redhead, who had made her way to the bottom of the stairs, or more specifically her breasts. “See you later, then.”

He stared as Lee walked off. With rage still burning in his chest, Alec spun on his heal and walking up to the two women.

“Are you alright?” Ellie asked in concern. 

Eve nodded, “Yeah, you look properly angry this time.”

Alec didn’t answer them, nodding to Ellie, “I need you to do something for me.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec and Eve were leaning on the edge of the railing with their elbows, Eve looking nervously over her shoulder at the doors to the court room as Alec’s phone rang. 

“Has anyone noticed I’m not there?” Ellie asked on the other end.

“They came over. Evelyn said you’d gone to the loo. You won’t for called for days. Don’t fuss. Are you there yet?” Alec asked urgently.

“I’m not really ruse about any of this.”

“I need to know what he says. Now, we’ve got one opportunity and we need to be all over it,” he told her.

“I think he’s tipped you over the edge. Why here? Why not in a hotel room or a park?”

“We need to control access front and back,” Alec reminded her. “It has to be somewhere we know the layout. It’s the best place. It’s a totally mutual location.”

“Not for me it’s not. It’s just... I’ve never been back in,” Ellie countered.

Eve quickly tapped Alec’s shoulder when a bailiff came out. “Detective Hardy.”

Alec groaned, “I’m being called. Bloody hell. We’ll come when I’m done.” He hung up.

Eve gave him a weak encouraging smile, “Good luck. Knock ‘ em dead, or don’t... probably not the best expression.”

Alec gave her a little smile nonetheless, “It’ll do. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Eve called as he walked into the court room. She sighed heavily as she leaned her head against the railing, feeling a surge of anxiety.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”DI Hardy, you the arresting officer?” Jocelyn asked him.

“Correct,” Alec confirmed.

“I’d like you to take us through the events of Mr. Miller’s arrest,” she requested of him. “Where did the arrest take place?”

“At Mr. Miller’s house.”

“You and DI Smith coerced Joe Miller into saying he killed Daniel Latimer, didn’t you, DI Hardy?” Sharon badgered.

“No. We found him in the shed with the phone, and he confessed as I have recorded in my notes,” He answered, addressing the jury directly.

“I suggest that Joe Miller found Daniel Latimer’s phone and was about to report it to the police when you and DI Smith arrived alone together, and jumped to a false conclusion because it suited your purposes.”

“What purpose would that be?” Alec asked her blankly.

“You were under pressure. You needed a result, didn’t you?” she speculated.

“There’s always pressure to find a killer.”

“Hadn’t you just been labeled Britain’s worst cop by the national press?”

“One paper,” Alec gaped.

Jocelyn stood up quickly to interrupt, “Are we letting the media judge this trial? Or are we sticking to facts?”

The judge nodded her head in agreement, “Stick with the events of the arrest, Miss Bishop.”

“Absolutely,” Sharon submitted enthusiastically. “Let’s move to the station.” She glanced down at her notes, “When did DI Smith call a doctor called for Mr. Miller?”

Confusion swept throughout the room.

“I believe it was around 2:15 P.M.”

“Why did she call for a doctor?” she asked curiously.

“Mr. Miller and DI Smith herself had sustained an injury,” Alec explained.

“Injuries, plural,” Sharon emphasized. “He sustained a broken rib and bruising to the neck, chest and torso. DI Smith on the other hand sustained bruising to her neck and shoulder. Correct?”

“Yes,” Alec answered tightly.

“How did they get these injuries?” 

Alec hesitated, and she repeated the question, nearly shouting, “DI Hardy, how did the defendant sustain injuries while in custody at Broadchurch police station?”

Alec cleared his throat, looking at the jury, “After DS Miller learned of her husband, the defendant’s, confession, she asked to see him.”

“Against allowed procedure,” Sharon berated him.

“Yes.”

“Who allowed this visit?”

“I did. DI Smith supervised from inside, while I along with two other officers supervised from outside.”

“What happened?”

Alec averted his eyes, “DS Miller attacked the defendant.”

Sharon scoffed, “She kicked the living daylights out of him, didn’t she? Resisting DI Smith’s attempts to pull her away, elbowing her in the neck in the process. And you- you just stood there and watched, didn’t you?”

“No,” he insisted. “As soon as she started attacking him. I called in other officers and they removed DS Miller.” He paused before adding somberly, “It was my error. It had been... a long and emotional investigation.”

“How many other times was the defendant beaten while in custody?”

“None.”

“Did you or DI Smith use violence against the defendant at the house in order to get him to make a confession?

“Absolutely not.”

“Why should we believe you,” Sharon berated him. “An officer who, by his own admission, stood by and watched as a colleague beat up a suspect and another officer to boot.”

“No, that’s not how it happened,” Alec denied quickly.

“The defense applies to have the defendant’s confession excluded pursuant to Section 76 and 78 of Pace,” Sharon requested.

“The confession is on camera. The injuries were sustained after he confessed,” Jocelyn argued.

“We cannot  discount that possibility that the injuries were sustained before his arrival at the  police station,” she countered.

There was a pregnant pause before the Judge nodded, “I agree with the defense. I am minded to exclude the confession from evidence.” Beth and Mark deflated into each other as the Judge turned to the jury, “Members of the jury, you are to disregard it entirely.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec walked out of the court room to see Eve hold her arms out in a ‘well?’ gesture with a hopeful look on her face. He shook his head. Her arms dropped as defeat made itself home on her face as she collapsed back against the railing.

Alec put a hand on her left shoulder, getting a wince from her as she shrugged him off. He looked down, putting his hands in his pockets as she kicked the glass lightly in frustration.

Eve sighed, “I’m sorry. I’m not angry at you. Not even angry at Ellie, never have been. I’m angry at myself.”

Alec looked at her in shock, “What?”

“I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve been faster.” She gestured widely with tear filled eyes between herself and the courtroom, “If I had then he wouldn’t have a chance at getting off.”

Alec gripped her hands to stop her violent gesturing, using them to pull her to his chest as tears began to stream down her face. He kisses the top of her head as she clutches at his sides, “It’s not your fault.”

That didn’t seem to have the desired effect as she sobbed. He sighed, resting his chin against the top of her head. Eve didn’t want words. She just wanted to feel him. That was the comfort she wanted, so he’d gladly give it to her.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve slammed her car door violently as her and Alec arrived at Ellie’s old house, the woman waiting for them. Neither of them looked very happy. “Well, what happened?” Ellie asked hesitantly.

“The confessions been excluded,” Alec told her. “Sorry, Miller.”

Ellie just stared at him for a minute as guilt stormed through her. “Right.”

“It’s done. It’s gone. Nothing to be done. Try not to think about it,” he advised as Eve reached out to gently rub the woman’s arm. “You go fetch Claire,” Alec ordered Ellie. “Go on.”

Ellie wordlessly handed him her house keys before walking off in silence. 

“Ta,” he thanked her as Eve watched her walk away with worry in her grey eyes.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Once they were inside of Ellie’s old house, Eve quickly stuck her hands in the pockets of her coat pulling out two cameras, a voice recorder, and a roll of duct tape. Alec had long since gotten used to her pulling things that shouldn’t possibly fit out of her pockets, so he didn’t even blink as she handed him the recorder and the roll of duct tape, which he used to place it under the table in the living room. While he did this, Eve placed the two cameras in two bookshelves. Using cards to hide one of them while she used the edges of the other bookshelf to hide the other camera.

When they had finished bugging the room, they gave each other a swift nod as Eve collapsed on the couch while Alec went to collect Lee.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve jerked when she heard the front door open, peaking her head out to see Alec and Lee Ashworth walk in. Lee smirked at her, making her stomach churn.

“Give me your coat,” Alec ordered Lee.

Lee turned to him, laughing exasperatedly, but took his jacket off, throwing it in Eve’s face causing her to fumble to catch it. Then, once she was able to see again with the jacket in her hands, she passed it to Alec, who threw it on the banister, “I’ll keep the coat.”

“Do you  wanna pat me down as well?” Lee asked.

“Yeah, if you’re offering,” Alec remarked before proceeding to pat him down under Eve’s watchful eye. He found  a utility knife in Lee’s pocket, which he handed off to Eve.

Eve stuck it in her pocket with a smirk, “And that I’ll keep.”

“You haven’t made her wear a wire or anything, have you?” Lee asked.

“No. Front room,” Alec directed. 

Lee headed into the living room, Eve leaning against the door frame as Alec tossed Lee’s jacket on the little shelf behind her. Alec’s phone rang.

“We’re coming in,” Ellie told him on the other line.

Alec went to open the front door with his phone to his ear, leaving Eve to watch Lee, who simply looked her up and down several times like she was a piece of meat. The redhead squirmed under his gaze. She only enjoyed when Alec looked at her like that. It was flattering when Alec did it.

Lee averted his eyes when Alec walked back in, Claire following a few seconds later. Eve shared a look with Alec before she made her way outside with Ellie.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”I’ll be in the kitchen. Miller and Smith will be by the front door. You’ve got fifteen minutes,” Alec told both Claire and Lee.

“Okay,” Claire agreed.

Alec looked at her, putting a comforting hand on her arm, “You  al right?”

“Yeah.”

Alec nodded, exiting the room, sending Lee on last warning look before he shut the door.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Are you sure she’s safe?” Ellie asked Alec over the phone as Eve turned to look at the field having heard the sound of grass being crumpled under someone’s feet.

“Course. I’m recording everything,” Alec assured her.

“What? How?”

“Cameras.”

“You’re bugging my house? That even legal? You could have told me,” Ellie told him. 

Eve’s eyes widened when she saw Beth angrily walk through the gate.

“Well, I’m telling you now. I’m not  gonna leave her alone in there, am I?” Alec countered as Eve grabbed Ellie’s arm to draw her attention.

“Ellie,” Beth called, walking towards them.

“Oh, God,” Ellie muttered.

“Do you know what happened in court today?” Beth asked her calmly.

“Beth, I’m sorry,” Ellie apologized as both women met her half way.

“His whole confession gone because of you.”

“Miller, what’s going on?” Alec asked over the phone.

“So, what is this? You think you can move back in?” Beth asked, anger dripping from her tone. “Walk in that field, past my window, like nothing’s happened?”

“No. Listen...” Ellie started as Eve gently got between them, putting her arms up to keep them distanced from each other. 

“You don’t belong here,” Beth told Ellie.

“Oi!” Eve exclaimed. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

Beth glared at her, “Oh, so you’re on her side.”

“No, I’m  Switzerland ,” the redhead denied. 

“Please can we not do this?” Ellie begged.

Beth pushed both women backwards, but put more force into shoving Ellie, “Is this what you did to Joe?”

“Beth, please don’t push me,” Ellie told her as Eve gripped her shoulder tightly as pain surged through it from the force of Beth’s push.

Beth just pushed Ellie again, “Why not? I’m enjoying it. I’ll do more than push you in a minute.”

Eve quickly tried to restrain Beth’s arms while Ellie told her, “Get your hands off me, Beth.”

“Make me. Go on.”

“Beth, this isn’t the time. Please, don’t do this,” Ellie pleaded.

Beth shook Eve off violently, getting a grimace out of the redhead as the pain in her shoulder radiated downwards, making her arm feel numb. “You knew that if you beat him up, if you kick the shit out of him, it would give him a chance to get off in court!”

“God, no,” Ellie shook her head desperately. 

Beth pushed her again, “If he walks, it’s because of you.”

“He’s not  gonna walk , he’s guilty, and we all know it,” Ellie told her quickly.

There was a trickling sound, and Beth groaned, “Oh! Oh, shit.”

Eve and Ellie looked on in shock as the water gushing down Beth’s legs, soaking her jeans.

Ellie grabbed hold of Beth’s arm to hold her up, “Oh, Beth... your water....”

“See what you’ve done,” Beth exclaimed, blaming Ellie for her going into labor as well. She pushed Ellie’s hand away, “Will you just get away from me!”

Alec ran out of Ellie’s house quickly, looking around widely, “Shit. Shit!”

He spotted Eve and made a beeline for her, “Where is he?” He ran past her into the field as she looked between the women and him. Unsure of what exactly she should do. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec burst back into Ellie’s house to see both Eve and Ellie looking at the cameras that had been sat on the coffee table. 

“What are you both doing?” He demanded.

“Checking the cameras,” Eve answered calmly. “Ashworth found them and turned them off.”

“Why didn’t either of you see them?” Alec shouted.

Ellie gestured out the window to the street, “We had Beth to deal with.”

Alec wasn’t listening to reason though; he was seething with rage. “What is the point of you two?” He looked at Eve when he saw a fire starting in her eyes, “Give me your keys.” Alec held out his hand for them, “Car keys! Now!”

Eve clenched her fists. “You’re. Not. Supposed. To. Drive,” she protested behind gritted teeth.

“I’m  gonna look for them because you two didn’t do what we agreed. Keys!” he demanded, gesturing insistently with his hand.”

Ellie glared at him, “No, this is not our fault. Don’t put this on me. I am sick of everyone putting their shit on me when I’m not responsible. I’m sick to the back teeth of taking flak for stuff I haven’t done!”

Alec didn’t say anything, still holding his hands out.

Eve scowled at him, ripping her car keys out of her pocket, pointing at him with them. “Fine. Fine. You have the keys. I hope you bloody well crash and have a heart attack while you are crashing!” She screamed at him, throwing the keys violently at him, him fumbling to catch them. 

He didn’t even blink before rushing out of the house. Ellie grabbed one of the cameras, throwing it violently at the couch before both women rushed out as well.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It had been a very long while since Alec had last driven a car, the gears of Eve’s, never had a scratch on it, car grinding loudly as Alec struggled with the gear shift, “Think, think, think. Where would you take her? Where would you go?”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

While Alec drove off in Eve’s car to God knows where, Eve and Ellie ran after Beth, the pregnant woman hobbling through the field to her own house. 

“Beth, what are you doing?” Ellie asked her in confusion.

“Ellie, do not come near me,” Beth snarled, obviously in pain. 

Eve rolled her eyes as she quickly took the woman’s right arm, tossing it around her shoulders, one of which was burning. Despite her anger, Beth leaned into the redhead, grateful. 

“Have you phoned Mark?”

“I haven’t got my mobile. I ran out ‘cos of you,” Beth groaned, stopping to bend over as a contraction hit. Eve gently rubbed circles into her back, whispering words of encouragement to her.

Ellie pulled out her phone, “So I’ll call him. Just take it slow. Were you having  contractions before your waters broke?”

“Been having them for days on and off. Midwife kept saying they were Braxton Hicks.”

“Oh, what does she know?” Eve muttered. “Babies come when they want.”

“He’s on voicemail,” Ellie told Beth.

“Course he bloody is,” she cursed. 

“I’ll call Lucy. Maybe she can drive you to the hospital,” Ellie offered.

“I’m not going to the hospital. I’m having a home birth,” Beth told them.

Both women gaped at her. “What are you doing that for?”

“Will you just go away?” Beth screamed at Ellie.

“You stupid cow, I’m trying to help you. You can’t even walk, now, lean on both of us,” Ellie snapped.

“I don’t want you here,” Beth groaned quietly.

“Well, tough shit,” Ellie snapped, getting a giggle out of Eve.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec ended up at the house he had hidden Claire away at, rushing in and shouting, “Claire! Claire!”

He stopped when Lee stepped into the living room, rushing at him. “Where is she?” Alec demanded, before he was flipped onto his back on the ground with Lee’s foot on his chest. “Argh!”

Lee smirked, “Where is who?” He pushed his foot down, making Alec groan. “You and your slag bugged us.”

“Where is Claire? What have you done with her?” Alec gasped. His chest felt  incredibly tight.

“We’re not suspects. We are not prisoners,” Lee spat.

Claire rushed in having heard the commotion. When she saw Lee standing over Alec on the floor, she quickly pulled him off, “Get off him!” She helped Alec up, “You alright?”

“Course he’s alright,” Lee remarked.

“I want you out,” Alec wheezed.

“Or what, you’ll call your little police bitch?” Lee countered.

“Out now!” Alec shouted.

“You don’t set how long I spend with my wife,” Lee snarled before turning to Claire, cupping her face, and bringing her in for a kiss. Alec watched angrily as she turned her eyes to him. When Lee released her, he smirked at Alec, “Got it? Now, I will tell you everything that you missed at Sandbrook when you stop pissing me about.” He turned to Claire with a brief smile, “I’ll call you, babe.”

As soon as Lee had stepped out of the house, Alec whirled towards Claire, “What the hell are you doing?”


	23. Forgiveness Easily Given

”There every 40 seconds apart now. You’re doing ever so well,” Ellie coached Beth as the woman squatted in the pool, screaming with each contraction that tore through her body. 

Eve looked worriedly at her as she put her phone away, “Okay, so your midwife is on vacation.”

“What?” Beth, Chloe, and Ellie asked in bafflement.

Eve holds up her hands, “Don’t worry. I’ve delivered a baby before. I can do it.”  ** Hopefully ** , she adds in her mind.

“Oh, thank god for that,” Ellie commented.

“It’s coming again,” Beth whimpered as Eve went to wash her hands  thoroughly .

“Breathe into it,” Ellie continued to coach, holding her hand.

Beth yelled loudly in pain as Eve came back with white latex gloves on her hands. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Why the hell did you go with him?” Alec asked angrily.

“Because I was  terrified ,” Claire excused from her seat on the couch. “I haven’t seen him in a year and a half, and I did what he told me.”

“You should have called me,” he told her.

“Oh, yeah! Hang on, Lee, love. I’ll give Alec a ring, tell him where I am,” she scoffed.

“So, what, did you just jump out the window?”

“Ran across a few gardens and flagged down the first taxi we saw.”

“You brought him here?” Alec asked incredulously, gesturing to the house. “The one place he doesn’t know about.”

“I had no choice. You put cameras in there without telling me. As soon as he found  them, he thought I was in on it!” Claire defended.

“I wanted to know what he would say,” he told her heatedly.

“Oh, so, you don’t trust me to tell you the truth then, no?”

Alec gave her a knowing look, “You want to tell the truth? Yeah?” He pulled out the envelope Ellie and Eve had found. “What’s this?”

“Dunno,” Claire said innocently, but he could see the recognition cross over her face.

“Yeah? Don’t lie to me, Claire,” he countered. He pulled out the folded paper inside, and showed her the flattened bluebell.

“It’s a bluebell,” Claire stated. “It was sent to me like that... to... an old post office box I used to use when I did mail-order hairdressing products. I...”

“Who sent it?” Alec demanded.

“I  dunno ,” she shrugged.

“What does it mean? Why did you keep it?”

Claire stood up, getting in his face, trailing her fingers seductively on his shoulder, which had no effect on him whatsoever. Eve’s touch though? That could send him through the roof. “So, you’d have something to find when you went sneaking through my cupboards. Get out. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to see you. Get out,” Claire demanded.

“Claire. Claire,” he cut in. “If there is anything you’ve not told me, about what happened with you and Lee, about Sandbrook, now is the time. You won’t like it if I have to have Eve sit down with you because she will be able to read you like she’s ringing a bell.”

Her face dropped, “I have told you everything. Get out.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie had been sitting on the stairs with Chloe for hours, the sun slowly setting beyond the horizon, after Eve had shoved them out of the room for some privacy. Mark hadn’t come home yet, or answered their calls for that matter.

They glanced at the door as Beth screamed. 

“Just try to slow your breathing down a bit, Beth,” Eve’s instruction drifted through the thin wooden door. “Might make the pain more manageable.”

“You can go,” Chloe told Ellie quietly.

Ellie shook her head, “It’s all right. I’ll wait with you. Did you phone your Dad?”

The blonde teen shrugged, “Yeah, no answer. Will she be alright?”

“Yeah, she’ll be fine. Eve will take good care of her, don’t worry. This is what it’s like, it just takes  a while ,” Ellie reassured.

“Argh!” Beth screamed again, Eve coaching her along quietly.

“Did you really not know? About Joe and Danny?”

“No. I’d have done something.”

Chloe slowly nodded, accepting that. “How do you live with it?”

“Don’t have a choice. Like any of us,” Ellie admitted.

Beth screamed again as the front door opened downstairs. Chloe quickly stood to look over the railing and asked, “Where have you been?”

Mark looked up at his daughter, startled. “Chloe, what are you doing up?” He began to make his way up the stairs, freezing when he saw Ellie seated on them, “What are you doing here?” Another scream from Beth had him cursing, “Oh, bloody hell.” He bolted into the room.

“Where have you been?” Beth screamed at him.

“I’m here. I’m here, take my hand.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie, having been left alone on the stairs, stepped out to call Alec to see if he’d managed to track Claire down. She was relieved to find out that he had found her, and kicked Lee out of the house, “Okay, well, at least she is safe. What are you  gonna do now?”

At his and Eve’s house, Alec stepped outside in a grey t-shirt and a pair of dark blue pajama pants, “I  dunno . Claire wouldn’t talk to me. I’m  gonna need you to talk to her.”

Ellie smiled when she saw Eve walk into the living room, giving her two thumbs up through the window, then pulling on her hair to signify the gender of Beth and Mark’s newborn. 

“That can wait,” Ellie told him. “Eve just helped Beth have her baby. Little girl apparently.”

The mention of Beth’s baby had images of the Eve from his dreams that was heavily pregnant flashing through Alec’s head. “Oh, that’s nice. Tell ‘ em ... congratulations.”

“Yeah. I’ll see you in court.”

“Yeah, okay,” he said hanging up.

Ellie put her phone away walking into the house where Eve was collapsed on the couch with an arm over her eyes, “Why don’t you go home, get some sleep? Unless your still upset with Hardy, of course.”

Eve looked at her in confusion, clearly not remembering anything before having to help Beth give birth.

Ellie glanced around awkwardly, “We let Lee escape with Claire, remember? He was angry, he said stuff, I said stuff, you said stuff.”

Eve’s face paled as her own voice screaming, ‘I hope you bloody well crash and have a heart attack while your crashing!’ thundered in her head. She shot off the couch, bolting towards the front door, whispering, “Oh, God.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec frowned when an envelope fell out of Eve’s copy of  _ Hamlet _ when he’d gone to set it by her side of the bed, knowing that was her comfort book, which was ironic considering it was one of Shakespeare’s tragedies. He thought she’d like to read it for a while before bed considering the events that had transpired. 

He bent down to pick up the envelope to see it was from a woman named Martha Jones. His curiosity got the better of him, and he opened it. His eyes widening as his eyes scanned the page, “Of course! Shit!”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve, despite having ran the entire way from the Latimer’s house to the little blue house on the water, burst through the front door causing it to loudly slam against the wall, shouting, “Alec!” over Iris’ startled barking.

Alec stepped out of the bedroom with a letter in his hand, but Eve didn’t even register this as she practically threw herself at the man, pouring all her emotions into the kiss as she cupped his face gently in her hands. Alec pulled away with eyes that had widened in surprise, “What’s all this about? Not that I’m complaining. Please, do that more often if you like.”

Eve let out a breathy giggle, “You’re alive.”

“Yeah?” He said, looking at her in confusion. 

Tears welled in Eve’s eyes as she gently patted his chest, right over his heart, “I told you that I not only hoped you crashed, but that you had a heart attack in the process.”

Alec quickly set the letter in his hand down as the tears spilled over. He quickly pulled her to his chest, her turning her head so that she could hear his heartbeat. He ran his fingers through her hair, “Shh. It’s okay. I know you were just upset, and didn’t mean it.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it,” Eve sobbed, gripping onto the back of his t-shirt tightly. “I’m sorry.”

Alec shook his head, “It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Eve  argued weakly. 

Alec shook his head with a sigh. “Evelyn. I’m not upset. You have nothing to be sorry for because I already forgave you the moment the words came out of your mouth. If anything, I’m the one that should be sorry. My attitude towards you and Ellie was a bit of an overaction on my part. It’s my failing not yours.”

Eve pulled away, wiping the tears from her face,  hiccupping , “How about we agree to both be at fault and forgive each other?”

Alec smiled softly at her, reaching to swipe a few more tears that made their way down her cheeks with his thumb, “Agreed.”

It was then that Eve caught sight of the letter he’d sat down, and her face paled again, “Where did you find that?”

“ _ Hamlet _ ,” he told her gently, not wanting to upset her again, though he had a feeling it was inevitable considering he’d gone through her stuff. “Act 3, scene 1.”

Eve sent him a look, “Yes, I know. The famous soliloquy. To be or not to be. I think I’d remember where I put the letter.” She picked up the letter, “You get on to Ellie for snooping, and then you do the same thing?”

“I didn’t mean to. It fell out, and well...” Alec stuttered trying to come up with an  explanation .

Eve raised an eyebrow, “Curiosity got the better of you?”

“Yeah,” he agreed weakly.

Eve sighed, “Once a detective. Always a detective. Suppose this saves me the time of trying figure out how to break it to you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me your shoulder was that bad?” Alec asked bluntly in concern.

Eve read over her Aunt’s writing. 

_ Dear Little Evie, _

_ I’ve gone over those results you collected from your sonic, and I’m afraid to tell you that the prognosis is not one you’ll want to hear, or read in this case.  _

_ According to the scan it appears that the impact to your neck and shoulder caused what is called a Brachial Plexus Avulsion. This means that the root of some of the nerves in your shoulder have completely separated from your spinal cord. Thus, resulting in the severe pain, weakness, occasional loss of feeling, and loss of range of motion that you have observed in your left arm. To be specific, it appears that nerve roots C5-C7 have detached, which explains the weakness in your shoulder and elbow as well as your inability to rotate your shoulder or lift your arm away from your body without pain.  _

_ Unfortunately, due to the length of time that has passed, it is virtually impossible to reattached the nerve roots to your spinal cord. At this point in time, the best treatment we can give is to give you steroids to help with the pain. I will put in a prescription for you.  _

_ Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any further concerns, or if you simply wish to talk. I’m always willing to listen. _

_ Love, Aunt Martha _

Eve looks up at him, “Would you believe me if I said it was pay back for not telling me about your heart?”

“No,” Alec shakes his head. “You wouldn’t do that. You're not vindictive."

Eve sighs, “I... I lied, and I didn’t tell you because I like to. I could pretend...” Tears welled up in her eyes, and Alec reached out, but she held up a hand to stop him. “I could pretend just for a minute that everything was okay, and that my arm wasn’t absolutely killing me. That I wasn’t weak because the pain.” She gestured at him, “How am I supposed to complain about a little pain when you could kill over at any moment? How could I burden with this when you’ve got your own health problem, which is arguably more serious than mine?”

“Evelyn,” Alec breathed staring at her in shock. He reached for her right hand, pulling her towards the couch, sitting down, and pulling her into his lap. Silent tears rolled down her face as she rested her head in the crook of his neck, clutching his t-shirt with her left hand weakly. 

Alec took her left hand gently in his, “Evelyn. You are not a burden. You have a burden, which if you know the definition, and I know that you do, means it is too heavy to carry on your own. You need help. You’re not weak either, don’t know where you got that bloody idea. I heard you scream when Ellie’s elbow connected with you, Eve. I can only imagine what your shoulder must feel like on a daily basis, and even then, it’s probably only an echo of what you actually feel. You manage to function like a human being... no, sorry, half human, half alien in your case, despite an unbearable pain that you can’t rid yourself of. That’s not going away. And yet... until today, you haven’t allowed yourself to cry over it, break down, be frustrated, to grieve the loss of what you once had, hell... you’ve probably never even acknowledged it till now. You’re holding yourself at too high of standard. It’s okay to feel pain, and ask for help when you need it. You’re one of the strongest people I know. You could never be a burden to me, Evelyn. I love you too bloody much. For God’s sake, I’d do anything for you.” 

Eve sat up a little, cupping his stubble covered cheek in her right hand as her left one twisted slightly to squeeze his. She smiled sadly, “I love you. You too good to me.”

“I think it’s the other way around, love,” he countered.

Eve smirked, leaning down to peck his lips, tracing them with her finger when she pulled away, “Agree to disagree.”

He hummed before nodding to her shoulder, “Does it hurt right now?”

Eve scoffed, “Never stopped, dear. Sometimes  it's just an ache, other times it throbs, the worst is when it burns like  it's on fire.”

Alec winces sympathetically, “Have you tried icing it?”

She tilts her head in a ‘no duh’ fashion, “Yes. It lessens the pain a little. Doesn’t make it go away though.” 

He nodded, moving one arm under her legs, and the other around her back. Eve yelped when he stood up with her in his arms. Her arms flew around his neck quickly, pulling a wince from her when she extended her left arm too much. “Sorry,” he whispered as he walked into their bedroom, laying her down on the bed. 

Eve looks at him tiredly, “If this is you trying to seduce me, I’m afraid it’s not working. I’m rather tired.”

Alec rolled his eyes as he helped her pull her red blazer off, “Not what this is.”

“Oh?” she says curiously, raising an eyebrow when he begins to unbutton her shirt. “Really? Cause it feels like it. Although, usually it me doing the  unbuttoning of your shirt.”

He was silent as he helped her out of her shirt. She winced when it caught on her hand, pulling on her arm. Once she was shirt less and left in her lacy red bra, which was doing things to him, but he shook those thought away because this was about her not him, he made her lay on her stomach with her arms laid out on either side of her. 

She yelped when he straddled her waist. She turned her head to the right to look at him, “You sure were not about to make love?”

“Yes,” Alec mutters as he gently rests his hands on both her shoulders.

“Then what are you... Argh!” She shouts when he begins to massage her shoulders. He pulls his hands away quickly at her shout of pain, but she shakes her head despite the tears rolling down her face, “No. Keep going.”

“Are you sure?” He asks in concern, beginning to think that a massage wasn’t such a good idea anymore. 

“It hurt so good,” she sobbed.

Alec hesitantly continues and her pain filled groans eventually fade into pleasure filled ones as her body relaxed. Eve was always a bit high wired, and pain only made her more so, which adversely made her muscles more tense. Her left shoulder still hurt, but it was a dull ache as a result of Alec’s kneading the muscles there, so that they were in a more relaxed state, the nerves not having to fire nearly as often and trigger her pain receptors. 

Eve was passed out asleep by the time Alec had moved on from her shoulders themselves to do her shoulder blades. He chuckled at the sight of her half-dressed, face down in a pillow, drooling. She was a hot mess, but she was his hot mess.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve jerked awake when Iris jumped on the bed the next morning to lay at her feet. She grimaced at the throb jerking had sent through her arm. Eve wasn’t surprised to find Alec’s side of the bed empty. It was a rarity that she beat him out of bed. 

She reluctantly pushed herself out of bed, Iris lifting her head in curiosity before laying it back down. Iris was definitely a couch potato. Loved to play, but was just as content to have a nap. Eve put on red collared bodysuit, with black sailor shorts, a black cardigan, and her red converse. She was felt like actually wearing her glasses, so she trudged into the bathroom to pull her blue tortoiseshell glasses out of their case and place them on the bridge of her nose. Eve nodded acceptingly at her outfit before padding to the kitchen. 

She saw Alec sitting on the front steps with an open Sandbrook file, papers and photos laid out around him. Eve smiled softly at the back of his head from the archway of the kitchen as she waited for the kettle to boil, just watching him as he stared at the file with his head in his hands. 

Eventually, Eve stood on the step next to him, holding out a white mug that said ‘I like her butt ’, which matched her mug that said ‘I like his beard’. They had been a gift from Ellie to them for Christmas. Eve had found it much more amusing than Alec had, but she knew that he was most assuredly an assman if the way he would consistently look at her was anything to go by.

Alec accepted the mug, taking a sip, “Ta.”

She hummed in response, taking a sip from her own mug, before she sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, making her glasses crooked. He glanced at her, “Wearing our glasses today, are we?”

She shrugged with a wince, “Felt like it today. Besides you have yours on."

Eve lifted her head, leaning forwards to look at the file as well. 

“How’s your shoulder?” Alec asks nonchalantly as if it were a  conversation, they had every day.

“Meh,” Eve answered, pulling a paper closer. 

“Meh?”

“Little throbby today. I’m supposed to get my steroids this morning from the  pharmacy before we go to court.”

“Alright.”

Eve glances at him knowingly, “How badly did you strip my gears?”

The grimace on Alec’s face is all the answers she needs as she gives him an amused look, sipping at her tea.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Is that the phone the defendant was holding on the day you arrested him? Jocelyn asked as Alec held out the plastic evidence bag containing the phone that he and Eve had arrested Joe with. 

Alec nodded, “Yes. It belonged to Danny Latimer. Danny had two phones. This one was given to him by Mr. Miller.”

“What did you discover from the call history on that phone?”

“Only one number had ever called or sent texts to Danny’s phone. A mobile number belonging to Mr. Miller,” he stated.

“When you took possession of Mr. Miller’s computer, did you find further evidence of communication between the defendant and Danny Latimer?”

“We found an email account under a false name. Only used to send emails to Danny.”

A bailiff handed Alec a stack of papers. “You’re being handed an exhibit. Exhibit EAS735 from your jury bundles. Could you confirm that these are printouts of emails sent from this account?”

Alec fished his glasses out of his suit jacket, “I can.”

“And would you read the email sent to Danny Latimer on the 29 th of May?”

“Great seeing you last night. Sorry things aren’t going well at home. Wanna meet again Thursday? It can stay between us,” Alec read aloud.

“And on the 25 th of June, from Danny to the defendant?”

“Why does nobody understand me like you do? Have a great holiday. I miss you.”

“Thank you,” Jocelyn said, sitting down.

Sharon quickly stood, “And the transcript of 16 May, please?”

Alec reluctantly read, “I know your Dad will be sorry for hitting you. You can talk to me any time.”

Sharon looked at him smugly as Alec took his glasses off, “What evidence do you have to prove that Mr. Miller was using his phone at the time the calls and messages were sent?”

“They were sent from his private number,” Alec answered, seeing where this was going.

“Someone else could have picked up the phone and used it,” she pointed out.

“We believe it was Mr. Miller.”

Sharon gave him a look, “You believe rather than you are able to prove?”

Alec cleared his throat, “Phone mast records have placed the phone at Mr. Miller’s  house .”

“The computer with the email account used to correspond with Danny, was that a private computer?” Sharon asked, averting her eyes to her notes.

“It was Mr. Miller’s home computer,” he said carefully. He could see the yarn she was trying to spin, cast suspicion to the other adult member of the household. Ellie.

“It was the family computer, wasn’t it?” she emphasized.

“Yes.”

“Was it password protected?”

“No, but we believe Mr. Miller was the main user of the computer.”

“But not the sole user because it was the family computer. Accessible to anyone who lived in or visited the house,  “Sharon embellished.

“Well, I doubt the baby used it,” He joked monotonously. 

Some of the jury members chucked, but the Judge didn’t seem amused at all, “I’m not keen on sarcasm, DI Hardy. Stick to the facts, please.”

“Course, my lady,” he said apologetically.

“Mr. Miller’s wife, DS Ellie Miller, an investigating officer, also had access to the computer long before it was seized, didn’t she?” Sharon asked  scoldingly .

“Yes, but-” Alec started, but was interrupted by Sharon.

“So, anyone living in that house including Mr. Miller’s wife, your colleague, would have been able to use the computer  right up until the time of Mr. Miller’s arrest. Yes, or no?”

“Yes,” Alec answered tightly.

“Thank you,” Sharon told him smugly.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Ellie were talking quietly amongst themselves about itty bitty Fred when Alec came storming over to them, “Those barristers, who are they? They’ve never done anything of worth. They just stand there sniping.”

The two women shared a confused look. “What’s been going on in there?” Ellie asked as they got up to follow him, Eve’s cardigan billowing behind her as she walked. 

“The whole system stinks. This is how people like Ashworth get let off while decent people get aspersions cast on them,” he continued to rant.

“Aspersions about who?”

Alec sobered as Eve took his right hand in her left, “I can’t. Not till you have both given evidence.”

“Shut up, then. You’re making me nervous,” Ellie  blanched .

“I need you to be Claire’s best friend right now. Otherwise, Ashworth will work his way back in. Find out if he is contacting her or she is contacting him. Are you listening?” Alec rattled off.

They paused when they noticed PC Bob Daniels at the top of the stairs. “Bob. What are you doing here?” Ellie greeted.

Eve groaned, “Tell me my brother hasn’t caught the office on fire.” Bob shook his head with a weak laugh. The redhead tilted her head, “You’re not here to give  evidence, are you?”

Bob shook his head awkwardly, “I’m not here for that, Ma’am.” He looked at Alec, “There’s been an allegation made against you, sir. For harassment, from a Lee Ashworth. Said you imprisoned, illegally recorded, and physically attacked him. You need to come with me.”

Alec, Eve, and Ellie all shared an exasperated look. 


	24. Scandal of an Affair

“I can’t believe your making me do this,” Alec muttered as he and PC Daniels trekked up the grassy hill towards Ashworth as he hammered in wooden posts for a fence. 

“It’s this, or internal affairs,” Bob reminded as they came to a stop in front of Lee, “It’s a fraught time for everyone at the moment. So, I wanna see if we can’t work this one out.” 

Lee held a cigarette in his hand as he looked at Daniels, “Well, he took me to a house, recorded me in private, then when I left, he tracked me down and attacked me.” 

“You attacked me,” Alec argued with a glare. 

“See?” Lee asked turning back to Daniels, “This is what he’s like.” 

“What have you got to say for yourself?” Daniels asks Alec. 

Alec took a calming breath. The same ones he had to take when Eve was being particularly irritating, and he had to remind himself not to yell at her. He folded his hands in front of him, “I’m under a lot of um, pressure currently, with the court case. I should not have done what I did.” 

Lee gave a satisfied nod, “Okay.” 

Alec unfolded his hands, turning to walk away when Lee said, “Say sorry.” 

Alec gaped at him, “What?” 

Lee blew a cloud of smoke of his mouth, “Say... sorry.” 

“I’m sorry,” Alec muttered. 

“What’s that?” Lee asked mockingly, leaning in closer as if he hadn’t heard him. 

“I’m sorry. I apologize for any error of judgement,” Alec ground out angrily. 

Daniels nodded, “Right, so we’ll say no more about this.” He led Alec towards the squad car, but Alec kept walking, beginning to limp. “Are you coming?” 

“I’m gonna walk,” Alec snarled. 

“Suit yourself.” 

Alec breathed heavily as he continued down the path. He needed Sandbrook to be solved. He needed it over and done with. He needed the closure. He couldn’t have a happy life with Eve until Sandbrook was a distant memory. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie knocked on the front door of the house that Claire had been hidden away in. Claire opening the door with a sigh, “What do you want?” 

“Look, I know we messed up,” Ellie started, “but how can you say you need protecting and the run off with him?” 

“I know,” Claire admitted. “I should have been stronger. I’m sorry.” She looked at the way that Ellie had poshed herself up, “How are you doing?” 

“I’ve been sat around court these last few days not knowing if they’re gonna call me or not,” she explained. “I got Eve to agree to have Fred for the night. Not that it took much convincing on her part, they’ve got a bit of a crush on each other at the moment. I thought I just want to get hammered. What do you think?” Ellie offered. 

Claire smiled. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”There you go, ladies,” the bartender told Ellie and Claire as he set their drinks in front of them. Light flickering all over the place with a pop song playing that neither woman had ever heard of. 

“Whoo!” Claire exclaimed excitedly as she took her drink. 

“I haven’t been out drinking in Weymouth for years. Eve took me out for night on the town when she first came to Broadchurch, like a teenager,” Ellie remarked, leaning against the bar. 

“Tell me about court,” Claire requesting, spinning the straw of her drink. 

Ellie sighed, “I have to sit there waiting. I’m not allowed to be told what’s happening, so I keep looking at people’s faces trying to read clues. Not quite as good as Eve at it though. She hasn’t given evidence yet either, so at least we get to be nervous together. I just keep thinking about Joe, my husband sitting there in the dock. It’s just... just a nightmare, it won’t stop.” 

Claire frowned, “I’m so sorry.” She tilted her head curiously, "Was it always, Joe? Or did you ever have a thing for someone else?” 

Ellie looked at the bar reminiscently, “There was this bloke at work once. Years back. I really fancied him.” She smiled to herself before shaking her head. “No, it wasn’t that. I really wanted to marry him. I just knew the first time we met, bam, really strong.” 

“So, why didn’t you?” 

She shrugged, “He was ten years older than me. Already had a wife.” 

“Did you ever tell him?” 

Ellie shook her head, “No. I nearly told him at his leaving do, but I thought ‘What’s the point?’” Ellie paused before smiling a little, “Funny thing was as he was leaving that night last thing he did, turned around and looked at me and he gave me this smile. Of all the people in there he turned, and he looked at me. I think about that quite a lot now.” 

“Why didn’t you do something?” Claire asked in frustration. 

A shrug was Ellie’s response, “Just what happens, isn’t it? Life sweeps by, and before you know what’s going on, it’s too late.” 

Claire smacked the bar, “I need the loo.” Ellie watched to woman disappear towards the back of the bar. 

Once the woman was out of sight, Ellie began to dig through Clair’s coat that was thrown of the woman’s chair, pulling out her phone. She searched through her contacts and recent calls. Eve would’ve been proud at this instance of snooping. Elie typed the number that wasn’t Alec’s into the notes on her phone. Then, she looked at Claire’s search history. All of the searches were about Lee, Sandbrook, or Lee and Sandbrook. When Ellie had finished snooping, she quickly replaced the phone back into Claire’s coat, cursing when she dropped it on the ground. She quickly picked it up, putting it in the coat, and shooting back up in her chair by the time Claire began to return from the bathroom. 

Claire had no idea what had taken place as a secretive smile makes its way on her face and she gestures over her shoulder, whispering, “Um... two blokes' eyeing us up over my left shoulder.” 

“No,” Ellie breathed in disbelief. When she’d gone to the pub it was usually always Eve that got hit on. Never her. Not that Eve was ever interested in any more than enjoying the night with her best friend. Ellie looked over her own shoulder to see two men at another table, checking them out. “Oh, my god, you’re right.” 

“Which one do you prefer?” Claire asked with a smirk. 

“No, I can’t. I’ve never done that,” Ellie refused. 

“Listen,” Claire said, laying a hand on Ellie’s arm. “The world is screwing you over right now. You owe yourself something. When was the last time you had sex?” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec was slightly surprised to walk into his house that he and Eve shared to see her making what appeared to be macaroni and cheese. Eve had what she’d call a little obsession with pasta. Alec, on the other hand would call it a hug obsession, and he’d had to accept the fact that living with Eve meant he was going to have carbs shoveled down his throat often if Eve was left in charge of cooking. She had little Fred in her arms, resting his head on her left shoulder. He shook his head to get his brain working again as he nodded to the little boy, “Should you be holding him with that arm?” 

Eve looked around Fred’s head at him, “It’s fine, Mon Ráleur."

He raised an eyebrow. 

“Can’t let it control me, Alec. I have to learn to live with it, I’m afraid.” 

Alec nodded, kissing her temple as he slides past her to get to the bathroom. He walked out with his pills, tossing the packet on the coffee table after he’d removed one. Eve came out of the kitchen as he took them, bouncing a clearly sleepy Fred on her hip now. Her face paled when she saw the reflection of something move in the little tv that they had as well as movement in the corner of her eye. “Alec,” she breathed quietly. 

Alec looked up, seeing the reflection in the tv as well, turning to see her pale face. They both turned to look at the door to see Lee Ashworth standing there. 

Alec shifted the glass of water in his right hand to his left as he went to open the door, staring angrily at Lee, “We’ve got nothing more to say.” 

Lee held up a plastic bag that appeared to be filled to the brim with folders and papers, “I’ve got plenty to tell you.” 

Alec looked behind him to share an apprehensive look with Eve, who quickly went to put Fred to bed in the little play pen she’d borrowed from Ellie earlier in the evening. When she came back, Alec was sitting on the couch, and Lee slapped a few of the papers he had collected on the coffee table. Eve sighed as she sat down to Alec’s right on the couch. 

Lee gestured towards the papers on the table, “Notes, interviews, people’s movements on that night. I knew you’d never want to clear my name, so I started working on it myself. Talking to people.” 

“And they spoked to you?” Alec asked skeptically as Eve curiously pulled the papers towards herself. 

“Well, I told ‘em I was you,” Lee explained causing both Alec and Eve to stop short. 

Alec stared at him in shock, “What?” 

Lee looked smug, “Yeah. I know what it’s like to be you now. Suspicious all the time.” He scoffed, beginning to taunt Alec, “Must be really... eating away at you. Especially when you're wrong.” 

Eve narrowed her eyes at him, threatening, “I should charge you with impersonation a police officer.” She sighed looking at everything on the table. 

“Go on, then,” Lee goaded her. 

She held his gaze, not looking away for a second as he kneeled down on the other side of the table. He averted his eyes as he grabbed a file, opening it, and held it out to them. It was on Ricky and David Gillespie. The fathers. “Rick and David Gillespie. Dads of the two girls. Two dads, two brothers. You barely even looked at them,” Lee told Alec. 

Alec took the file, glancing at it before tossing it on Eve’s lap, “Ay, we did.” Eve began to slowly leaf through the file. 

“Not far enough,” Lee insisted. “Lisa told me Ricky made a move on her when he was driving her home after baby-sitting.” 

Neither man noticed when Eve froze, staring at the picture of Ricky before beginning to glance between it and Lee. 

“Made a pass at his niece?” Alec questioned. 

Lee handed him another file, “What about this guy seen hanging around the estate three weeks before?” 

Alec didn’t even look at the file this time, tossing it in Eve’s lap as well. “Never even proved he existed,” he argued. 

“It was reported by four separate women,” Lee countered raising his voice a little. 

“None of this is new,” Alec pointed out, raising his voice as well. 

“Oi!” Eve interrupted, pointing at the bedroom. “Sleeping child. Keep your voices down.” 

Lee stared at Alec, eerily quiet, “Why would I kill a 12-year-old girl?” 

“Why was her pendant found in your vehicle?” Alec countered. 

“We used to give her a lift to school, as a favor to Cate,” Lee explained standing up. Then, he shrugged with only on shoulder, “So, it must have come off then.” 

Eve smirked at him. **Gotcha.**

“She was wearing it the day she died,” Alec reminded, standing up to his full height. 

“You missed things.” 

“You need to go. Go on,” Alec told him, jerking his head towards the door. “Get out.” 

Lee looked at Eve, nodding towards the papers on the table, “Look at that stuff. Look at the Gillespies. Look at that bloke hanging around the estate.” 

He made his way to the door, pausing when Alec asked, “Why did you send Claire a bluebell?” 

Lee looked genuinely confused, “What? How’d I do that from France? Do bluebells even grow in France?” He shut the door behind him, but Alec went to stand by the door, making sure that he left. 

Eve nodded in the direction Lee had went when Alec turned to her, “He killed one of them.” She looked at a picture of Lisa and Pippa that was on one of the folders, “I’d bet my money on Pippa, but I’m not sure.” 

Alec’s eyebrows rose, “What?” 

Eve smiled softly at him, “I’m telling you you’re right. At least about Lee killing Pippa. I have a hunch about who killed Lisa, but I’m not entirely sure yet, so I’ll keep that to myself for now.” 

“Claire?” Alec asked urgently. 

Eve thought about it for a minute, “I don’t think so. Claire definitely had some part in this. What part? I don’t know.” 

Alec practically ripped the file Eve had in her hand out of it, tossing it on the coffee table. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her passionately, gently encouraging her to lay on the couch with him on top of her. Alec pulled away, “I bloody love you, Evelyn.” 

Lust filled grey eyes met his brown ones, “I bloody love you too, Alec.” 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie felt empty as she watched through the window as her ‘date’ from the bar slinked off in taxi. She regretted asking him if he loved her in the middle of sex, but luckily, he hadn’t heard her over his own orgasm. 

Claire poked her head in with two mugs in her hand. “Hi,” she whispered, jumping slightly when the door closed loudly. 

“Hey,” Ellie whispered back. “He’s just gone.” 

“Lucky. Mine is still snoring.” They chuckled as Claire climbed into the bed with her, handing her one of the mugs of tea. “Here you are. Feel better?” 

Ellie sighed, setting the mug on the window sill, “No, it just sobered me up.” She pulled the mug back to take a sip before setting it back down. Ellie turned to Claire, who had sat back against the headboard, “Claire, what happened that night?” 

“I don’t know,” Claire tried to deny. 

“Claire,” she said knowingly. 

Claire frowned at her tea, “Lee drugged me. He used to have that stuff Rohypnol. Got a little bottle off someone and that night he drugged me, and I woke up halfway through the night.” 

“That isn’t what you told the police.” 

“No. I can just feel myself being pulled back into him, now that he’s back...” 

“Claire, tell me the truth. Where were you both the night those girls disappeared?” 

“He drugged me. I woke up at 5:00 A.M. He was cleaning. He was cleaning the whole house,” Claire revealed. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Rohypnol? Definitely said Rohypnol?” Alec questioned at a table with Ellie and Eve outside the courtroom, the older of the two women nursing her hangover. 

“Yeah. She said she woke up to see him cleaning.” 

“She never said any of that before,” he mused. 

Both women scoffed. “Oh, why are you being such a fuckwit about this?” Ellie asked in annoyance. 

“She’s playing you like a fiddle,” Eve told him, tapping the table for emphasis. 

“Sorry?” Alec asked. 

“She was next door,” Ellie said. “She had access. Her story is inconsistent. This woman you’re protecting is a suspect.” 

“I know,” he revealed, averting his eyes. 

Ellie gaped at him, but Eve didn’t look surprised. “What? You told me you’d been protecting her.” 

Eve snorted, “He was ‘protecting her’, so that she didn’t abscond.” 

Ellie glared at them, “How long have you thought this and why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I need to know if I was going mad. I wanted someone to look at it objectively,” Alec reasoned with her. 

“For God’s sake!” 

Alec straightened in his seat when he saw Jocelyn approaching them, “Uh-oh. Evelyn, Miller. This could be one of you.” 

Jocelyn looked at Ellie, “You’re going to be called.” 

Eve threw up her hands in exasperation. Why wasn’t she being called to give evidence before Ellie? She was the other DI on the Latimer case. She should’ve been called before the former DS. 

Ellie nodded, “Right, okay. I’ve done this before.” 

Jocelyn shook her head in a worried demeanor, “Not like this. Stay calm, stick to the facts. Don’t get drawn into anything else. Don’t get emotional.” 

“I know,” Ellie assured. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 

“Take the book in your right hand, and read from the card,” the bailiff told Ellie, 

Ellie took a deep breath, staring at the card in her left hand, reciting, “I swear by the almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Police Constable 516, Ellie Miller, attached to Exeter Police Traffic Division, formerly Detective Sergeant attached to Broadchurch CID.” 

“How long have you been married to the defendant, Mrs. Miller?” Jocelyn asked. 

“12 years,” Ellie answered. 

“You have two children, correct?” 

“Yes, Tom is 13 and huge, and Fred is nearly two.” 

“Was it a mutual decision to have children?” 

“I was probably keener, but Joe went along with it.” Ellie shuffled on her feet. 

“What sort of relationship did you have with your husband?” 

“Good. I went to work, and he looked after the kids. I loved him.” 

“How would you describe your relationship with Mark and Beth Latimer?” 

Ellie tried to keep from staring at the Latimer family as she said, “We were good friends. Beth and I were in the same NCT group. We had Sunday lunches together. Our boys, Danny and Tom were best friends.” 

“How curious was your husband about how the investigation was proceeding?” 

“Err... on the day Danny’s body was found, he asked if he knew who did it.” 

“Was he interested in forensic evidence?” 

“When we found the crime scene, he wanted to know what we’d discovered.” 

“Had he demonstrated any interest in forensic evidence prior to this case?” 

“He knew a bit about it because of his job as a paramedic. He’d been called to a few crime scenes. He knew how evidence was gathered, and what made it easy or difficult,” Ellie explained, glancing between Jocelyn and the jury. 

“Have you had any contact with Mr. Miller since the day of his arrest?” 

“No.” 

“Did you at any time suspect that your husband was involved in the killing of Danny?” 

“I didn’t. Now, I wish I had,” Ellie answered, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Why did you attack him, you husband, in the interview room after his arrest?” Jocelyn asked her gently. 

“Because the man I trusted most in the world had killed the son of our best friend,” Ellie told her. 

“So, you attacked him not as a policewoman attacking a suspect, but as a wife confronting her husband?” Jocelyn asked as a way of making her point to the jury. 

“Yes. The police had nothing to do with it. It was about him and me,” Ellie emphasized. 

“Thank you, PC Miller. I understand how difficult this must be for you.” 

“It is,” Ellie murmured, tears welling in her eyes again. “It is horrific.” 

Sharon stood, showing no sympathy what so ever, “How was your sex life, PC Miller?” 

Ellie looked shocked by the question, “I dunno, normal. How would you describe yours?” 

Sharon looked amused, “Not frequent enough to be honest, but I’m not the one in the box.” 

The judge gave her a look, “Quite, Miss Bishop.” 

Sharon turned back to Ellie, “Did you engage in S&M? Bondage? Torture fantasies? Violent roleplay?” 

“No, nothing like that,” Ellie answered. 

“Did you husband use pornography?” 

“No. Apart from one time his mate gave him a DVD. We watched it together, and we mostly laughed through it.” 

“Did it involve children?” 

“No.” 

“Gay pornography?” 

“No.” 

“Did he show a predilection for images of children?” 

“Not to my knowledge.” 

“Did you either as a wife or a police officer ever discover images of children in your husband’s possession?” 

“No.” 

“Would you say that you are a good police officer?” 

“I get the job done,” Ellie answered humbly. 

“I think you’re being modest. Until recently, you’d been on a rather strong career path, hadn’t you?” Sharon asked patronizingly. 

“I did my best.” 

“And yet as a police officer, you didn’t detect any suspicious behavior from your husband?” 

Ellie sighed, “None.” 

“You didn’t spot any such behaviors because your husband didn’t kill Danny, did her?” Sharon misinterpreted deliberately. 

“He did kill Danny. He’s not the person I thought he was,” Ellie insisted. 

“Are you talking as a wife or as a police officer now?” Sharon mocked. 

“Both,” Ellie ground out. 

“Did you take a sleeping pill on the night of Danny Latimer’s death?” 

“Yes. I get terrible jet lag. I have them prescribed,” Ellie explained. 

“You didn’t wake up until the next morning, is that correct?” 

“That’s right.” 

“So, as far as you were concerned the next morning, he’d been there all night?” Sharon speculated. 

“That’s what I thought at the time, and it turns out not to have been true. Joe knew I’d taken the pills. He must have planned to meet Danny accordingly,” Ellie countered. 

“Do you actually no of such a plan?” Sharon questioned. 

“No,” Ellie admitted weakly. 

“Then, please stick to the facts, PC Miller, “Sharon reprimanded. She looked down at her notes, “When did you and DI Hardy first start having an affair?” 

Everyone looked just as startled. Alec sitting up straighter in his seat with wide eyes. 

Ellie gaped, “What?” 

“Is the affair ongoing? Can I remind you that you are on oath?” Sharon continued. 

“No, we’ve never had an affair,” Ellie denied. 

“Again,” Sharon said, glaring at Ellie, “Can I remind you, PC Miller, that you are on oath?” 

Jocelyn stood, “My lady, where is the evidence?” 

Alec sat forwards, wondering what Bishop could have possibly come up with to spin this tale. 

“Coming to that now, my lady,” Sharon assured, leafing through her notes. 

“You won’t find any ‘cos it never happened,” Ellie insisted. 

“The night of your husband’s arrest where were you?” 

Ellie sighed, “We’d gone to a hotel because we had to leave our house. I left my kids with my sister ‘cos I went to see Beth, Mrs. Latimer.” 

“Why?” 

“I felt I needed to,” Ellie justified. 

“And then what did you do?” 

Ellie was quiet. 

“Where did you go, PC Miller?” Sharon pushed forcefully. 

“I went to see DI Hardy,” Ellie admitted quietly. 

“Where? Where did you go to see DI Hardy?” Sharon demanded. When it took Ellie a minute to answer, she pulled out a paper, “Well, according to CCTV, you went to the Trader’s Hotel around 11:37 P.M., and left just after a quarter to two. Over two hours.” 

“I didn’t go to the Trader’s Hotel,” Ellie quickly denied. “CCTV caught me passing by on my way to DI Smith’s old house that is a little further down the street. DI Hardy had check out of the Trader’s and had been staying with DI Smith by that point in time.” 

Sharon glared heatedly at her second chair Abby before turning back to Ellie, “And why was DI Hardy staying with DI Smith rather than the hotel? Why did you go to DI Smith’s house?” 

“The press hounded DI Hardy at the Trader’s,” Ellie explained. “So, he checked out when DI Smith, who he had begun seeing, offered to let him stay with her further down the street. I went there to talk, to make sense of things.” 

“You talked,” Sharon mocked. “You left your two children on the night their father was arrested for well over two hours to go and see DI Hardy alone on the night that he’d arrested, and you’d beaten up the defendant, your husband, in DI Smith’s house to talk?” 

“I needed to make sense of what had happened,” Ellie insisted. “We were-” 

“You colluded that night to frame the defendant, your husband, to get him out of the way, because you were having an affair with DI Hardy, didn’t you?” 

“No!” Ellie exclaimed. She took a deep breath, “There was no affair, and we weren’t alone. DI Smith was there as well. She was with us the whole time. There was no affair.” 

Sharon smirked, “And how are we supposed to believe that DI Smith wasn’t in on your plans to frame the defendant?” 

“This is how you think you’re gonna win? By twisting the truth and distorting our lives?” Ellie asked in disgust. 

“Well, isn’t it the case that this investigation missed key opportunities and failed to examine leads because it was compromised by your personal liaisons with DI Hardy? And together you put an innocent man in the dock?” Sharon admonished. 

“No. Totally untrue, and you’ve got no evidence of this. I am not the guilty one here. I am not!” Ellie yelled. 

“Thank you, PC Miller,” Sharon said, satisfied that she’d been able to make Ellie lose control of her emotions. Two down. That just left DI Evelyn Smith to break. Now, that would be the real challenge.

Alec and Ellie shared a devastated across the courtroom, realizing the deep hole that they had just left Eve to dig herself out of when she testified. They had quite literally fucked her royally.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

A stoic Alec and an emotional Ellie walked out of the courtroom to find Eve sitting up against a wall in a lotus meditation pose. She popped one eye open when she heard them approaching, “How’d it go? Thought I’d go mad out here by myself.” 

Alec helped her off the floor, “You’re going to be called tomorrow.” 

Eve frowned glancing at Ellie’s guilt-ridden face, “What happened?” 

“You know we can’t tell you,” Alec reminded. He gripped her hands tightly in his to get her attention back on him, “You have to stay calm tomorrow, no matter what is brought up. Jocelyn can’t afford for you to lose your temper.” 

Eve sighed, rolling her eyes, as she pulled both Alec and Ellie in for a group hug, which made them both feel very awkward. Somehow in the grand scheme of things, Eve had become quite the hugger recently. “Relax, you two. I won’t let her twist my words against me. If anything, I’ll simply twist hers instead."


	25. Eve Rocks the Court

Alec gasped in the water as he fought to stay afloat against the strong current of the river where he’d found Pippa’s body. 

“Alec!” He barely heard the familiar estuary accent call out to him over the roaring of the water around him. There was a splash behind him, and an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back towards solid ground. His vision was blurred by the water that had gotten in them, but he could make out a shock of red hair as the person it belonged to pulled him onto the muddy ground. He coughed violently before laying back, his brown eyes meeting bright grey ones. Evelyn. His mind supplied as she leaned down to whisper, “Wake up, Alec.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was sleeping soundly, facing away from Alec in bed, her right arm hanging off the bed. Her eyes snapped open when she felt Alec thrashing about next to her. She turned to him quickly as he started violently, gasping for air and coughing. 

Eve watching in concern, pulling him towards her, so that his head rested on her chest, raking her fingers gently through his hair to calm him. “It’s alright. Shh... it’s alright, sweetheart. It was just a nightmare.”

Alec stopped gasping as Eve’s soft voice combined with her twin heartbeat drifted over him. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, twisting so that his head was planted firmly against her chest as he started to sob. Tears welled in Eve’s own eyes as she continued to whisper softly to him. She was content to sit there being his rock if that’s what he needed from her. Eve gently kissed the top of his head, “It’s alright, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When the sun was high in the sky the next morning, Eve took special care in the way she dressed. She was actually going to be called today, so she had to look nice. She’d decided on black tuxedo bodysuit, black velvet high waisted pants, and a pair of black ankle boots. 

Eve was walking out of the bedroom, puffing her hair out a bit to make it look more voluminous, when she caught sight of Alec trying to tie a dark blue tie around his neck while holding his phone to his ear with his shoulder. She shook her head softly as she gently batted his hands away to tie it herself. 

“Yeah, still holding for Mr. Davies... No, no, I don’t want to reschedule. I want to erm...” Alec paused glancing at Eve as she patted his chest when she was done with his tie before heading to the kitchen to make some tea. “... talk to him about an increase in my symptoms... What, is he some higher mortal who doesn’t phone people?... My GP? Seriously?” He hung up the phone as Eve came out of the kitchen, handing him a mug with an amused look on her face. “For...,” he started to curse before they both caught sight of Oliver standing at their open door. Eve often left it open, so that air circulated throughout the house, and Iris liked to come in and out as she pleased. “God, what do you want?” Alec muttered, getting a warning look from Eve to behave.

Eve nodded, “Oliver.”

Oliver didn’t greet them. Instead, he told them, “Lee Ashworth came into our offices the other day. Now, I couldn’t place him at first, but then...” He held up articles from Sandbrook with Lee on the front. “I went through all the Sandbrook press cuttings. It’s a bit of a coincidence, you and him both here?”

“Does you editor know you’re here?” Alec asked mockingly.

“I’m a bit fed up with the way you talk to me,” Oliver remarked in an annoyed tone.

Eve cleared her throat, getting both men's attention. “Oliver, you came here to our home to berate him about a subject that is quite frankly done of your damn business. As far as I’m concerned, you’re lucky that former DI Hardy even does exclusives with the  _ Broadchurch Echo _ considering that you were the one that leaked Danny’s identity before the Latimer family had even been allowed to grieve peacefully for 24 hours. You and your whore Karen White were the ones that started the deliberate attacks on Jack Marshall, which if you remember led to him committing suicide. Then, you started attacking former DI Hardy as well.” Eve stepped right up in the young man’s face, “Now, get out of my house before I forcibly remove you.”

Oliver gaped at her, “Not all of that was completely on me!”

“Oh, I think it was though,” Eve snarled before nodding to the door. “I won’t tell you again. Get. Out. Of. My. House.”

Eve had a very dark look in her eyes that had Oliver obeying with her order immediately. It was like the whole universe was looking down at you, and if you didn’t listen then it would cast you out into the fire. 

Eve’s hardened face softened when she felt Alec’s hands on her waist, “You’re sexy when  you're angry.”

Eve turned, wrapping her right arm around his neck while her left hand rested against his chest, “Oh?”

Alec kissed her hungrily, pulling away to rest his forehead against hers, “Wanted to shag you right there on Ellie’s floor when you  threw your car keys at me.”

Eve threw her head back, cackling, “Oh, my God.”

Alec smirked, leaning down to kiss her neck, and she was quick to bat him away. She gave him a pointed look, “No Hickys, Mon  Ráleur . It seems you’ve forgotten that I have to make a good impression on the jury today.”

He sighed before cupping her face and kissing her softly. He pulled back, asking, “Would you like to meet Daisy?”

Eve’s eyes widen, “That came out of nowhere, but yeah. Of course. Love to actually.”

Alec brushed a stray red curl out of Eve’s face, “I’d like to go to Sandbrook this weekend to see about reopening the case. I hope to see Daisy while I’m there. Would you like to come along?”

Eve lifted her left hand as far as it could to gently stroke his stubble covered cheek, “Any day, love. Any day.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Oh , bloody hell!” Ellie cursed as she and Eve stood by the parking meter. Eve had been waiting outside for her when she’d arrived late for court and had run out of change for the meter. In addition to Eve giving evidence, her sister would be as well, which just made Ellie more anxious. 

“Here you go,” Lee Ashworth’s voice came up behind them as he reached around Eve to push change in to the meter. “I’ve got it.”

Eve glared at him, “I would certainly hope that you’re not following us.”

Lee’s eyes went to her chest, “Says the woman that helped Hardy record me.” Eve rolled her eyes pulling the parking ticket out for Ellie, shoving it into the woman’s hand, and they walked over to Ellie’s car quickly. Lee followed after them though. “I heard they trashed you in court. Hurts, doesn’t it?” Lee asked Ellie smugly. 

“Yeah, well, I’m sure the jury saw through it,” Ellie told him.

“It’s like a game to them. Don’t care about you, what you’ve lost: husband, son, job-”

“I haven’t lost my son,” Ellie cut him off. “And now, I’m running late.” Ellie stuck the ticket in her car, linked arms with Eve, and they began walking towards the courthouse.

“Hardy slept with my wife. That’s why he’s so obsessed with the case,” Lee remarked with a glare at the two women’s backs.

Eve whipped around with sneer on her face, “No, he didn’t.”

“Even if he did, what does that got to do with us?” Ellie asked. She didn’t believe for a second that Alec had had any sort of relationship with Claire. Not with the way he acted around her. He never showed her the kind of attention he showed Eve. 

“He’s poisoned my own wife against me, eve thought I tried to help him solve it. I just want Claire back,” Lee explained with venom dripping from his words.

Eve smirked, “Well, you certainly won’t get back at him by trying to turn me against him.”

Ellie pointed at him, “I’ve talked to Claire, and you stay away from her. You are not good for her.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”He paid for your parking?” Alec questioned in confusion as Ellie and Eve made their way through security.

“He said you slept with Claire Ripley,” Ellie said with a scoff.

Alec rolled his eyes, giving Eve an honest look, “I didn’t.”

Eve patted his arm lightly, “I know, love.”

Alec nodded, taking her hand, and they started walking to the courtroom with Ellie behind them, “We’re going up there, Miller.”

“Where?” Ellie asked.

“Sandbrook, this weekend. You can drive us,” Alec told her. “Give Eve’s arm a rest for once.” Eve’s head snapped to look at him with wide eyes.

“What? No, I’m not a taxi! I’ve got better things to do!” Ellie objected before frowning. “Why would Eve’s arm need a break?”

Eve sighed as she turned to the woman that she considered to be her best friend, “You elbow did more damage to my shoulder than we previously thought. It um...” Eve winced both in pain and the fact that she didn’t want to have to tell Ellie that she’d pretty much disabled her. “Some of the nerves in my shoulder were severed from my spinal cord, and that’s causing... mainly a lot of pain, but a loss of range of motion in addition to the occasional bout of loss of feeling in my left arm.”

Ellie’s eyes widened, “Oh, God! Eve... I’m so sorry. I didn’t...”

Eve held up a hand with a soft smile on her face, “Relax, Ellie. I’m not mad. I’m not even upset. Don’t worry about it. I’ll live.”

The trio was silent for a minute before Alec said, “There is an officer in Sandbrook I can talk to about reopening the case. See the place for yourselves. Leave wee...” He trailed off on Ellie’s son’s name again.

“Fred.” Eve whispered exasperatedly.

Alec nodded, “Fred with your sister.”

Eve suddenly broke away with her arms raised in  a confused expression when she saw her parents standing by the stairs, “What the hell you two doing here?”

Her Dad, who looked to be in his tenth regeneration at the present moment, beamed, “You think we would miss our little girl testifying in court?”

Eve grimaced, “That  kinda makes me look weird, you know?”

Donna smacks the Doctor’s arm, “Told you!”

Alec and Ellie catch up to Eve, and Ellie gives Eve’s parents a bright smile, “Oh! Doctor and Mrs. Smith, always a pleasure!”

“Ellie Miller and Alec Hardy, always nice to see familiar faces!” The Doctor said as Eve shook her head fondly. 

**_ P.A. - All parties in Miller to Court One. All Parties in Miller to Court one. _ **

Eve sighed, “Here we go...”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve kept her back as ramrod straight as possible, and her face stoic as made her way to the stand. “Take the book in your right hand, and read from the card,” the bailiff told Eve.

Eve let out a breath, popping her neck slightly, before looking at the card that was shaking slightly as her left hand trembled, reciting, “I swear by the almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Detective inspector 4711, Evelyn  Smith, attached to Broadchurch CID.”

Jocelyn stood, “DI Smith, how long have you lived in Broadchurch?”

Eve pursed her lips thinking, “About 6 years now if I’m doing the math correctly.”

“And how did you know Danny Latimer?”

Eve’s head twitched noticeably, “I babysat him for Mr. and Mrs. Latimer, a few times when he was younger.  Additionally , I tutored him occasionally in history subjects. World history, geography... things like that.”

“How did you meet Mr. Miller?”

“When I first moved here and began working at Broadchurch CID, former DS Miller and I really hit off. Best of friends, really. Um... anyway, she invited me for dinner and that’s when I met the defendant.”

“Would you say that you are close to the accused?” Jocelyn  asked curiously.

Eve shook her head, “Not really. More of just an acquaintance. I worked with Ellie practically every day up until seven months ago, so we were arguably closer.” It took all her willpower not the break her poker face and glance at Alec and Ellie in the stands. 

Jocelyn nodded, “Did you ever notice any suspicious behavior in Mr. Miller during the investigation?”

Ellie sat forwards in her seat, eager to hear what she had missed.

Eve nodded slowly, “During not one, but two interviews with his son Tom Miller, he would interrupt frequently, and not let his son speak for himself. Almost as if he were worried that Tom would say something that would implicate him. Additionally, at Jack Marshall’s wake when DI Hardy went to speak with Tom, Mr. Miller was quick to interrupt them yet again. DI Hardy wasn’t even interviewing Tom, just talking to him. Once again, seeming to want to keep his son from saying anything that might cast suspicion.”

“Objection,” Sharon interrupted quickly, “witness is speculating on my client’s feelings.”

“I was simply describing how Mr. Miller seemed to have been behaving during the investigation prior to his arrest,” Eve defended her statement calmly. 

“She’s right, Miss Bishop,  “the Judge gave Sharon a warning look.

Jocelyn looked at Eve apologetically, “DI Smith, as much as I’m sure you would like to keep your private life out of this courtroom, I’m afraid we must address your relationship with DI Hardy. Can you tell me how you met the detective?”

Eve’s poker face finally broke as a bright smile came to her face at the memory. She quickly schooled her face, covering her smile for a second, dropping her hand when it was gone, “Sorry. I first met him about a week before Danny’s body was found. DS Miller was still on vacation, so it was just me and him. We’d been called out to a domestic disturbance. It was over with a quick flash of a badge.” She chose to leave out the whole tripping incident. 

“And when did your romantic relationship begin?” Jocelyn asked. 

Eve’s mouth kept flicking up in a small smile despite her best efforts. She had to pause to think back over the last seven months of her relationship to find the exact moment it began, “It was the day before we found the boat that used in moving Danny’s body from the cliff top hut to further down the beach. Um... it just sort of happened, honestly. That had been a late night for us, we got dinner and brought it back to his hotel room at the Trader’s where DI Hardy was staying at the time, talked for a bit about how we wanted to go about it, and after that we were both exhausted, so... we fell asleep.” Eve had a proper smile on her face now. “That night was the first time we kissed,” she admitted.

Alec shifted in his seat, fighting the smile that wanted to make a home on his own face at the memory of what it had been like to kiss that beautiful mouth for the first time. Eve had turned him into a blushing fool, he realized.

“Did you ever share your suspicions of Joe Miller with DI Hardy?” Jocelyn asked.

The smile fell from Eve’s face and she became stoic once again, “Yes. I shared my suspicions; however, at the time I didn’t have proof beyond my own instincts, so I insisted that we simply keep him in the back of our minds until any evidence to suggest that he did in fact kill Danny came to light. He agreed.”

Jocelyn nodded. “The night of Joe Miller’s arrest, Ellie Miller testified that he had visited your old residence and was there with you and DI Hardy the whole time she was there,” Jocelyn described. Eve nodded along, realizing that this was why she was finally being called.

“That’s correct,” Eve confirmed. 

“So, it would incorrect to suggest that Mrs. Miller and DI Hardy were having an affair?” Jocelyn questioned carefully.

Eve chocked on air before laughing slightly. “I’m sorry, what?” She asked in clear amusement. “Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller? Having an affair?” Eve cackled, throwing her head back, clapping her hands together once. She tried to compose herself as she stated while gesticulating widely, “That might be the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my entire life, and I’m a detective, so I’ve a lot of outlandish things, but that! That tops them all!” Eve shook her head, “There was no affair whatsoever.”

“You were present with them in your house the entire time PC Miller was there?” Jocelyn asked once the redhead had completely composed herself. “All the three of you did together was talk?”

Eve nodded, turning to the jury for the first time, “Ellie was upset. She needed to process and absorb everything that had happened that day, and what was to happen afterwards. Mr. Miller, her husband, the father of her two children, was arrested for killing a child. A child of their friends, that he claimed to have loved romantically. It’d be difficult for even the most put together person to process. Her world had quite literally been ripped out from under her like a rug and turned upside down.”

“So, there was no affair between PC Miller and DI Hardy,” Jocelyn determined happily, briefly looking towards the jury. “And DI Hardy was, at this time, staying with you at your house, and you were in a serious romantic relationship?"

A smile found its way onto Eve’s face again, “Yes. DI Hardy and I are and always were extremely committed to each other. Additionally, Ellie and I, as I have stated previously, are very close friends. There was nothing going on between them. Nothing whatsoever.”

Jocelyn nodded, “Thank you, DI Smith.”

Sharon stood, “Why are you lying about the affair between DI Hardy and PC Miller?”

Eve blinked, unsurprised by the question. “I am not lying, Miss Bishop. There was no affair.”

Sharon glared, “How is your relationship with DI Hardy presently?” She glanced at her notes. “How’s your sex life?” Sharon interrogated.

Eve didn’t even try to hide her smile this time, “In terms of our relationship? Excellent. Couldn’t be better. In terms of my sex life?” Eve looked at the ceiling dreamily, “That’s quite good too.”

“How do you feel about the fact that you and DI Hardy colluded with PC Miller to frame the defendant for murder?” Sharon assumed, clearly running out of ways to make the redhead crack.

Eve raised an eyebrow, “That’s not what happened, and the whole room knows it.”

Sharon sighed, glaring at her, “You don’t particularly like me, do you, DI Smith?”

Eve tsked, “Not really. No.”

“Why?”

Jocelyn stood, “ Relevance ?”

Sharon turned to the Judge, “DI Smith’s feelings towards me affects the way that she responds to the questions that I ask her?”

The Judge sighed, turning to look at Eve apologetically, “DI Smith, could you please answer Miss Bishop as concisely and as respectively as possible, so that we may move on?”

Eve nodded respectively, “Of course, my lady.” She turned to Sharon with a shake of her head, “My feelings do not in any way influence the way in which answer your questions; however, I have been asked to give you an answer, so I will. In the past few minutes in which you have been allowed to question me, you have accused me of colluding with my colleagues to frame the defendant. That is not what bothers though... you can attack me all you like. I could care less about my reputation and of what you and others think about me, but I draw the line at my best friend and the man I love. Lastly…" She pointed towards Joe in the dock, who she hadn’t looked at once before now, “you’re trying to get a man, who killed a child, off of any charges.”

Sharon seemed nervous when she noticed that some of the jury members seemed to be changing their tunes to agree with the redhead. “You assume that my client is guilty?”

Eve popped her neck in boredom, “I think you forget that I worked the Latimer case. I’m not just some random citizen of the town that you get throw around, and try to twist their words. As a detective on the case, I was privy to all the evidence that is being shared in this court room. I don’t have to assume that Joe Miller is guilty. I certain of it.” Eve sighed, “I cared about Danny. What happened to him is horrific, and the person responsible for that deserves every piece of justice that is dealt to them. Mr. Miller was having an illegal relationship with Danny behind not only Danny’s family’s back, but also his own family’s back. I mean secret messages, secret gifts, secret meetings. Does that sound at all innocent? Cause it doesn’t to me.”

“My client was simply helping Danny,” Sharon countered causing Eve to roll her eyes. “As a parent, he saw a boy in need of guidance from a father figure, and someone had to talk to him since his own father beat him. He cared about Danny as well.”

Eve smirked slightly, seeing an opportunity that had just opened itself right up. She tsked, “And yet you are assuming that?”

“The defendant stated as much during his interview with you and your lover boy,” Sharon started spitefully, not processing the smirk that was getting wider on Eve’s face. “He said that he was there for Danny when his father gave him a split lip. Now-”

Eve’s left hand shot up upwards with one finger extended, and despite the burning in her shoulder, none of it came across her face. “I’m sorry,” Eve interrupted her sarcastically. “I’m no barrister, but I’m almost certain that you are not allowed to pick and choose pieces of information from a confession made...” She pointed at Joe again, “by the defendant...” she pointed at Sharon, “that you’ve had excluded from evidence.”

Everyone sat up straight in their chairs due to the sudden surge of excitement that had spread throughout the room. 

“DI Smith is correct in her thinking," Jocelyn exclaimed, standing up quickly. “If Miss Bishop feels the need to discuss anything that was said during the interview and subsequent confession made by the defendant with DI Smith, then the whole tape should be reintroduced into evidence for the trial.”

“I’m trying to convey the true nature of Mr. Miller’s relationship with Danny Latimer,"  Sharon tried to backtrack. “The detectives on the case have painted him as a  pedophile when he simply told DI Hardy and DI Smith that he was trying to be there for Danny because Danny’s father wasn’t.”

The Judge had already made up her mind; however. She sighed, “I’m sorry, Miss Bishop, but If you wish to discuss any statement made during the confession of the accused with DI Smith, then that means that you must think that it has merit. I am repealing my decision to have the confession excluded form evidence.”

Excited whispers could be heard throughout the room. Alec and Ellie looked grateful. Eve let out a deep breath, leaning against the stand with her arms extended. 

The Judge turned to the jury, “The jury is now advised to consider the confession as legitimate and take it under advisement when making your decision.” She turned to Eve, “You may step down, DI Smith.”

Eve nodded respectfully, “Thank you, my lady.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve managed the be the first one out of the courtroom, bending over with her hands on her knees. Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants, standing back to her full, but short, height when the courtroom door opened as everyone else filed out. 

Jocelyn made a beeline for her, “That could not have gone better, Eve. This is why I wanted to wait to call you.” The older woman leaned in closer, “You were my secret weapon. I’ve seen you rock the court before.” Jocelyn leaned back when a group consisting of Eve’s parents, Alec, Ellie, and the Latimer family formed around them. “The jury absolutely love Miss Smith. They now have some rightly placed dislike for Miss Bishop due to her treatment of Miss Smith on the stand.”

“Not to mention that she got the confession back in,  “The Doctor reminded. 

Eve was suddenly pulled into a tight hug by Beth, “Thank you!”

The redhead seemed uncomfortable with all the attention as she weakly hugged her back,” I just got lucky. She got herself twisted. I barely did anything.”

“Oh, to the contrary,” Jocelyn stated with a smile. “If you had not specifically made use of the word ‘confession’, then I would not have had the opportunity to bring up the point to the Judge. You were very sneaky with what you said up there.”

“She was bloody brilliant,” Alec cut in, his smile hidden in front of so many other people, but Eve could see it plain as day. His brown eyes that were lit up in happiness and pride gave him away.

Donna nodded eagerly, “Always has been.”

Eve managed to worm her way out of Beth’s grip, and pointed in the direction of a barista, “I’m  gonna grab a cup of coffee before we’re called back in. I need it after that. If you’ll excuse me.” 

They all watched her walk away, and the little group disbanded leaving Alec, Ellie, and Eve’s parents still standing by the doors to the courtroom. Ellie pointed after the redhead, “Marry her.” 

Before Alec could respond, Ellie walked off. He turned to Eve’s parents with a slightly panicked expression on his face. The Doctor simply raised an eyebrow at him before nodding his head. He leaned forwards towards Alec, “Just remember. I loved her first, so if you hurt her, you will the consequences.”

Alec blinked, “I don’t plan on hurting her. I think it’d kill me if I did.”

The Doctor nodded before smiling, “Good.” He nods towards his daughter, who was sniffing at her cup of coffee, “I knew she’d end up with you. You’re the only guy she ever dated, which isn’t many by the way, that she wouldn’t shut up about.” He glanced at his wife, “Reminded me of well... me when I met her mother.”

Donna rolls her eyes, “He was always calling me brilliant.”

“You are brilliant,” the Doctor immediately supplied.

“Oh, hush, spaceman,” she smacked him lightly on the arm. She smiled softly at Alec, “You let us know when you’re  gonna pop the question though? I’d like to be there, or at least watch it from afar.”

Alec nodded silently as he watched the redhead with a small smile on his face. 


	26. Anger is a Byproduct of Protection

Lucy approached Eve, who was anxiously sipping on her coffee, with a smirk, “Good on you. Gave that Bishop bitch the what for.”

Eve shrugged, wincing at the burn it created in her shoulder. The steroid seemed to help a little, but the pain was still consistent. “I just told the truth like I was supposed you. Something you should do as well.”

Lucy frowned, “What do you mean by that?”

Eve turned to her with a knowing look on her face, “I know that Ellie gave you money. I’m not stupid. Now that the confession is back in, Bishop is going to be desperate to make it look like Alec, Ellie, and I colluded to frame Joe. That is their only chance of getting him off. I’d almost guarantee that they know about the money or they are going to find out if they don’t know already. They will use that to make it seem as if Ellie paid you off, so that you would make a statement. You held off till the last second, which doesn’t help either. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t stray from the truth. Tell them exactly what happened, don’t add any extra embellishments. The jury is more than capable of putting the puzzle together themselves.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”I’d been playing a bit of online poker... and then I went to the window to close the curtains,  “Lucy answered.

“What time was this?” Jocelyn asked.

“4:47 A.M. I checked it on the computer,” Lucy said, looking at the jury.

“And what did you see when you went to the window to close the curtains?”

“A man putting a bag into a bin across the street.”

“Can you describe the man?”

“I saw the defendant, Joe Miller,” Lucy lied.

Both of Eve’s arms twitched violently as her right hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She sighed, reaching out with her left hand to lace her fingers with Alec’s pulling his hand into her lap, playing with his fingers. It had become a calming ritual for her. Alec never complained. Whatever helped her was fine with him.

“You’re certain of the man’s identity?” Jocelyn asked tightly.

“ He’s, my brother-in-law. I should be able to recognize him,” Lucy rationalized.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Eve whispered under her breath. Alec squeezed her hand gently.

“Your statement to the police state that you couldn’t identify the person you saw,” Jocelyn countered.

“No, I did tell them. Not sure why they didn’t put it in the statement,” Lucy insisted.

Alec slowly looked at Ellie. “What is she doing?”  he whispered. 

Ellie shook her head, “I wish I knew.”

Eve gestures towards Lucy with her right hand, “I literally told her five minutes ago not to do this. They can use against us.”

Jocelyn nodded, “Thank you.”

Sharon stood, “Looking at the date of your statement, Miss Stevens, you didn’t go to the police until 57 days after seeing this man you claim to be the defendant.”

Lucy shrugs, “I didn’t connect it to Danny’s death until a few weeks later.”

Sharon didn’t look convinced, “Really? Despite it being the talk of your town? Despite your own sister being one of the investigating officers?”

“I know this is  every day for you, but the rest of us haven’t lived through this  before. It was new,” Lucy  defended with an attitude.

“That facts of your evidence are: finally, you make a statement, 57 days after having seen a figure on a dark street, but you forgot to name the man you claim to have seen.”

“I didn’t forget, the police didn’t put it in the...” Lucy started.

“And today,” Sharon interrupted, “for the first time you say it was Joe Miller. You’re having the court on, aren’t you?”

“I know what I saw,” Lucy says darkly.

“You might have seen a man, but you didn’t see the defendant, did you? Why have you changed your story?”

“I know what my own brother-in-law looks like, and I’d know him from miles off. I saw him out there that night,” Lucy states firmly.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Following Lucy’s train wreck, Jocelyn brought in a surprise ‘bad’ character witness to take the stand and talk about her experience with Joe Miller. Eve sat a little more patiently between Ellie and Alec. She couldn’t deny that she was somewhat excited to be allowed in the courtroom now that she’d given evidence. 

“Mr. Miller and I worked for two years together, between 1996 and 1998. We were shift partners working as paramedics at Cardiff City Hospital,” the woman,  whose name was Adhika explained. 

“Can you describe Mr. Miller as a colleague?” Jocelyn requested.

“A bit quiet, kept himself to himself,” Adhika answered.

“When did you stop working together?”

“It was November 1998, two days after Bonfire Night, and it was at my request,” she emphasized to the jury.

“Why did you request it?”

“Joe had offered to give me a lift to get some shopping. The supermarket car park was really busy. Then, he saw a space, but this bloke in a BMW came in the other way, the wrong way, and got in ahead of him,” Adhika explained, gesticulating as a way to illustrate her words.

“What did the defendant do then?” Jocelyn said, trying to hid her smile.

“He jumped out of the car, ran across and punched the guy in the face. The bloke fell back against the car and Joe started kicking him, going at him really hard!”

Alec, Eve, and Ellie all looked in shock at Joe, who had slouched in his seat inside the dock.

“Did you try and stop him?”

Adhika shrugged, but nodded, “When I realized what was going on, yeah. By the time I got there though, the guy was bleeding. He ended up with three broken ribs and it took four people to pull Joe off him.”

“Had there been any warning signs that Mr. Miller might have a violent tendency?” Jocelyn questioned.

She shook her head, “Nothing. It came out of nowhere.”

“Thank you,” Jocelyn told her, sitting down.

Alec turned to look at Ellie over Eve’s head, mouthing, “Did you know about that?”

Ellie shook her head minutely, “No. Nothing.”

Sharon stood, “Is it a high-pressure job being a paramedic?”

“It can be,” Adhika admitted, “but on that day, we had a good run and even had some time off.”

“How many lives did Mr. Miller save in the two years that you worked together?”

“I don’t know.”

“Two, three?”

“More like 50 or 60,” Adhika estimated. “It doesn’t make what he did right, though.”

“But you never saw any sign of this behavior before that day,” Sharon pointed out.

“He blew. I saw him go. It was like a switch had been flipped in him.”

“Thank you,” Sharon said, sitting down.

“Scare the life out of me. He nearly killed that guy!” Adhika continued. 

“Thank you!” Sharon repeated, cutting her off.

“That concluded the case for the Crown, my lady,” Jocelyn told the Judge.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve wrapped her arms around herself in the backseat of Ellie’s car, trying to get comfortable for the long ride ahead of them. She ended up playing with the sleeves of Alec’s blue jumper that she had thrown on over her black tank top that she’d put on this morning. It was a long car ride, so she wanted to be comfy. Plus, if she took a nap, then she’d pretty much be wrapped in Alec’s scent. Not exactly the same as having the man himself wrapped around her, but it served its purpose of getting her to sleep peacefully.

Alec was running Claire through their plans, and what she should do since they’ll be gone. “I’ll be away one night, maybe two. I’ve asked Bob from the station to pass by twice a day.” He pulled out a card, “This is his number as well as Eve’s brother number, he’s a detective as well. You call one of them if you’re worried about anything at all.” Claire just stared at him, not taking the card. “You still made at me?”

Claire glanced at the car, “What about Ellie, why can’t she stay with me?”

“She’s coming with me,” Alec told her simply.

“Oh, dirty weekend away with not one, but two women?”

Alec ignored her accusation, “When I get back, we’ll talk about what we do next. Just remember, don’t go near him. He’s not good for you.” He held out the card as he went to walk away. “Take it.”

Claire yanked the card of his hand.

He started towards the car, “Go on. Lock all the doors.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Jocelyn was at her kitchen table, reading several files pertaining to Joe Miller’s trial, when there was a knock at the window. She turned, taking of her glasses when she saw that it was Beth Latimer. 

Jocelyn went to the large double glass doors, and opened it as Beth held out a  Tupperware container, “Do you like lasagna?”

Jocelyn chuckled, talking the container, “It’s a long time since somebody cooked for me. I’m eagerly awaiting Miss Smith’s signature celebratory cake. Well, thank you.”

“Um... how do you think we’re doing?” Beth asked, sitting on the little stone wall in front of Jocelyn’s house. The older woman going to sit across from her.

“We’ve put in a strong case,” Jocelyn told her. She sighed, “Hold you nerve, Beth.”

“We are  gonna win, aren’t we?” Beth asked. “Especially now that Eve’s got the confession put back in.”

“Of course, we are,” Jocelyn said lightly, trying not to get the woman’s hopes up in case anything should go wrong further down the line.

“What made you change your mind?” Beth asked curiously. “Why did you take the case?”

“Joe Miller found himself a Rottweiler to defend him,” Jocelyn scoffs. “She knows how to play the system. However, you got incredibly lucky that DI Smith was one of the officers working Danny’s case. I’ve worked with her before, and she has got quite the silver tongue. She knows how to work a room. That... and your Danny... he used to delivery my newspaper.”

Beth laughed lightly, “This was on his round?”

“He was a good boy. Someone has to speak for him,” Jocelyn told her.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec, Ellie, and Eve were on the freeway, the silence between three of stretching awkwardly. Well... it did between Alec and Ellie in the front seats. Eve was watching the scenery pass as  they drove on. 

Alec reached forwards to turn the nob on the radio, switching from station to station, like a nervous tick of some sort. Although, it seemed like he was looking for something very specific, and was having difficulty finding it. The constant switching pulled Eve’s attention away from the  blue sky outside, and back to the front seat.

“Look at us, Thelma and Louise!” Ellie chimed. “You can be Susan Sarandon,” she told Alec, pulling a snort from Eve.

Alec didn’t reply, still switching through the radio channels. 

“Leave the radio alone! If you can’t find anything you like, just turn it off,” Ellie scolded, clearly  irritated . 

He obeys, turning the radio off.

“Right, so if we’re not having music, you can at least tell me your theory,” Ellie huffed. “With everything you know, what do you reckon happened at Sandbrook?”

Alec stared out the window, “Someone went into the Gillespie house, abducted both girls. Got rid of the bodies.”

“Why Lee Ashworth?” Ellie asked.

“Ricky and Cate Gillespie said Pippa always used to like going next door to see Lee.”

“If Ashworth was in their house, must’ve been forensics,” Ellie pointed out.

“Yeah, there were,” he confirmed. “Ashworth’s DNA was all over the place. A strand of his hair was found on Pippa’s pillow.”

“Her pillow?” Eve asked with a confused scrunch of her nose. “How on Earth did he explain that?”

Alec’s brown eyes met her grey ones through the mirror, “He said he’d been in the house plenty of times, which is true, but... he still wouldn’t say how the hair got on the pillow. At one stage, he said it had been put there to frame him.”

“By who?” Ellie questioned. “This... Ricky, Pippa’s Dad?”

Alec nodded, “That’s what Ashworth claimed.” Both of them missed the glazed look that came over Eve’s face. “But this case, ladies, whenever you think you’re getting close, it slips away from you.”

“Is that why it got to you... ‘cos you could never be sure?” Ellie asked, trying to get to the root of his problems with the case.

Alec was quite for a minute, and both women thought he was going to ignore the question all together, but then he sounded far away when he answered, “I found her... Pippa Gillespie. She was in the river, and it was deeper than I thought. I got pulled under.”

Eve’s eyes widened, remembering all the times that he’d woken up gasping for breath. He was reliving it, almost drowning in his nightmares. She quickly threw the chest strap of her seat belt behind her, so that she could lean forwards in her seat to rest her right hand on his arm for support. He reached up, pulling her hand as far as her arm would allow to rest over his heart, squeezing it tightly. 

“Just managed to get free and carry her body onto the bank. She’d been there maybe three days... water rots the body... she was the same age as my daughter,” he broke off with a harsh breath. Eve scooched forwards in her seat a little to rest her head against his shoulder. That’s why it got to him so much. Pippa was the same age as Daisy when it happened. Then, to almost drown. It would be traumatizing to anyone. “I can still feel the weight of her, water dripping off her clothes all down me. What sort of a person leaves a child like that?”

Eve shook her head against his shoulder gently. She didn’t know. Ellie’s eyes were welling up with tears, but she kept them on the road. They were all silent as the reality of why this case was so emotionally draining washing over them like the waves of an ocean.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The sun was beginning to set with a gentle rain pouring down on the car. Eve was dosing away, laid down on her left side in the back seat. Her face was creased in pain, not being able to escape the throbbing of her shoulder even in her sleep. 

“I keep replaying my evidence over and over, thinking of all the things I should’ve said differently, an all the comebacks I should’ve thrown at her,” Ellie told Alec in frustration.

“You did the best you could,” Alec reassured her.

“Well, there’s an epitaph. ‘Ellie Miller, she did the best she could.’” Ellie mocked. She sighed, “What if Joe still gets off, even with the confession back in?”

“He won’t,” Alec said with  certainty .

“What if he does?”

“He won’t, Miller,” he insisted.

“I don’t know what I’d do,” Ellie admitted.

“First left, second right,” Alec directed.

They drove down a street, pulling up to two houses that were connected, sharing a wall with each other.

“Yeah, this pair here,” Alec pointed out as Eve woke from the sudden lack of movement of the car. 

“Who lives here now?” Ellie asked.

“The  Gillespies own both houses. They rented the one on the right to Lee and Claire. Cate still lives in the one on the left,” he explained.

Ellie looked shocked, “Eve after everything that’s gone on?”

“She wanted to be there, in case Lisa came back,” Alec sighed. 

“I don’t think she will,” Eve admitted quietly.

“Let’s go to the hotel,” Ellie said after a moment of silence.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”How can they have just lost your booking?” Alec asked Eve as she unlocked the door to the room the three of them would be sharing now.

“Shut up, grumpy. Just be glad we were able to at least get the last room,” she bit back tiredly, opening the door. She walked in with Alec and Ellie following after her. Eve froze when she saw a large singular bed, “....Oh.” Her floral-patterned overnight bag dropped to the floor in shock. Ellie dropped her blue with white polka dot patterned one as well. Alec managed to hold on to his as the three of them stared at the bed.

“I’ll sleep in the car,” Alec volunteered.

“Oh, don’t be daft, “Ellie scoffed.

“If your husband’s legal team found out-” he started.

Eve held up a hand cutting him off, “They have already accused you two of it, what more could they do?”

“Seriously, don’t be stupid,” Ellie added. “Especially not in your condition.”

“It’s not a condition,” Alec  argued .

“Oh, shut the fuck up!” Eve said with an amused look on her face. “It so is a condition.” She points at him warningly, “You’re not sleeping on the floor either.” She gestured between the three of them, “We are all adults. I think the three of us can manage to all sleep in one bed for one night.” Eve paused, “... think of it as a sleepover.”

Ellie nodded in agreement, “Look, it’s been a long drive. You and Eve can probably cuddle and take up one half of the bed, and I’ll take the other.” She sent Alec a warning look, “Just don’t snore.”

Eve waves her off, “He only does that when he’s really exhausted.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve had shucked off Alec’s jumper, folding it gently before stuffing it in her overnight bag, leaving her in a plain black tank top and a pair of black leggings. She turned to see him still dressed in his slacks and white oxford shirt. “Aren’t you going to change?” she asked with a chuckle. 

He looked up from where he’d been peering at his phone, “Nah.”

Eve rolled her eyes, crawling into the bed, getting under the covers before she stared at him, “Oh, the things I would do to you if we were alone.”

Alec turned back to look at her with a smirk, putting his phone on the table, “What would those be?”

Eve hum softly, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She ran her eyes over his face, but more specifically his glasses, “You always look rather sexy in your glasses. It does things to me.”

“Oi!” Ellie’s voice yelled at them from where she’d just come out of the bathroom in her polka dot  pajamas , “Can you two go one night without looking like you want to jump each other?”

Eve had the decency to look ashamed, she held up the covers for her, “Sorry.”

“Thanks,” Ellie said quietly as Alec stood. Eve held up the covers for him as well.

Once he was situated in the bed and under the covers, Eve weakly threw her left arm around his waist, her left leg entangled with his, and her head rested on his chest as her eyes fluttered closed as she focused on his, at the moment, steady heartbeat. Alec grunted, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer to him.

“Shall I turn the light off?” Ellie asked, reaching for the light to turn it off. Alec reached over to turn off the other. 

“Bit weird, “Ellie chimed causing Eve to bust out laughing.

“Go to sleep, Miller,” Alec muttered over the sound of Eve’s laughter.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve found it very amusing the next morning when they all ended up in essentially the same outfit. They all had a grey suit jacket, or blazer in Eve’s case, a white shirt, though Eve’s was satin, and grey slacks. 

Although, they were dressed nicely, both Eve and Ellie felt nervous about what they were about to do as they drove up to the  Gillespie's house. 

“How are we supposed to get in there?” Ellie asked as she parked across the street from the house. Her and Eve would be snooping through Claire and Lee’s former home while Alec spoke with Cate. 

Eve held out her sonic pen, “I’ve got a skeleton key of sorts.”

Ellie gave her a disappointed look.

Eve shrugs, wincing at the burning in her shoulder that the movement ignites, “It’s either this or the key Alec had made before he returned the originals.”

Ellie gaped at him, “No!”

Alec gave her a look, “You’ve both read the files. You’ve both met Lee and Claire. Have a look around and see what the two of you think.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec knocked on the door, and when Cate opened it, she scowled at the sight of him. “Cate, please don’t slam the door, “Alec said quickly.

“What do you want?” Cate asked bitterly.

“Five minutes.”

Cate reluctantly opened the door to let him in, and that was when Eve and Ellie made a break for the other door. 

Eve pulled on a pair of vinyl gloves while Ellie pulled on her black leather ones. Eve gave her a nod as she held her sonic up the door, hiding it with her other hand. The lock clicked, and she forced the door open despite the large pile of mail that had piled up in front of it. Eve urged Ellie in quickly, shutting the door behind the other woman. 

They glanced around the kitchen, but didn’t find anything before moving on to the living room. They were able to hear voices drifting through the wall, so they both placed an ear against the wall.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“I still haven’t given up on you or the case, “Alec was speaking carefully, so as to not start a fight with the clearly depressed woman. “Erm... I came because I thought you should hear this from me. Lee Ashworth is back in the country.”

Cate’s face was blank, but the anger was clear in her eyes, “Where?”

“Nowhere near here,” he assured her. “I’m keeping him under observation.”

“If I see him, I’ll kill him,” Cate threatened.

“I know,” he said. “I was sorry to hear about you and Ricky.”

Cate just shrugged, “It was a long time coming.”

“Well, going through  something like this...”

She scoffed at him, “We were broken before then. All that cock of the walk, ‘every woman loves me’ bullshit...” Cate trailed off. “Only so much any woman could take. Even over the fence, when he knew I was watching, with Claire. He’d check I could see.”

Alec frowned, “I’m sorry, you never told us-”

“Even the moment his daughter was being killed...” Cate continued.

“At the wedding? You were at the wedding together,” Alec countered.

Cate collapsed on the couch with a heavy sigh, “He was shagging one of the bridesmaids... Tiffany Evans.”

Alec looked to be at a loss, shaking his head, “You always said you were together that night. You never mentioned-”

“What did it have to do with you?” Cate cut him off sharply. “Makes no difference now, anyway.”

Alec glanced at a picture of Pippa in a field of yellow flowers, “I will get you justice.”

“It’s too late,” Cate countered.

“It’s not,” Alec insisted.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Both women sighed as the removed their heads from where they had been pressed against the wall. Ellie took a seat on the couch, but Eve seemed mesmerized by the wooden floor. Eve squatted down, pulling off a glove to run her hand down one of the wood boards. Ellie grimaced in disgust when Eve then proceeded to lean down and lick the board. 

Eve closed her eyes, thinking. Ellie  hesitantly took one of her own gloves off to feel the floor, but she couldn’t understand what Eve was feeling. It just felt like wood to her.

Eve shook her head, getting up off the floor slowly before heading towards the two double glass doors that led to the backyard. She flashed her sonic, and the lock clicked. She pushed them open, and both women stepped out, looking around. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve sat on Alec’s left with her thigh brushing against his as they sat across from Ellie in a restaurant waiting for the DS that could help reopen the case. She pinched the bridge of her nose due to the headache that was beginning to form at the center of her forehead. 

A woman with light brown curls pulled back into a bun, dressed in a business suit quickly walked in, looking flustered. “Sorry, sorry! Got held up,” she apologized, taking the empty seat next to Ellie. 

“No, no, you’re fine. We just got here, “Alec assured her. 

Eve’s eyes widened to the size of saucers when she realized that this woman was Tess Henchard... Alec’s ex-wife. She sent Alec a pissed off look, which had Alec grimacing. 

The woman, Tess, gave Ellie a friendly smile, “You must be Eve. It’s nice to meet you.”

Ellie blushed at the thought, and shook her head, gesturing across the table to Eve, who wiped the pissed off look off her face, “Oh, no-”

“I would be Eve,” Eve said gesturing to herself. “Nice to meet you, Tess. If I can all you Tess that is?”

Tess turned to her, looking embarrassed, “Sorry, of course, call me Tess.” Tess looked her up and down, “I’m sorry, you look like you can’t be more than  twenty-one .”

Eve shrugged smugly, “I was blessed with good genes, makes me look younger than I am.” She nodded to Ellie, “This is Ellie. She, Alec, and I used to all work together.”

Tess’ eyes widened as she turned to look at Ellie, “Oh, you’re Joe Miller’s wife. The Broadchurch case.”

“Right. Yep,” Ellie confirmed  awkwardly .

“I feel like I’m playing catch-up.”

“It’s about Sandbrook, “Alec cut in, wanting to get straight to business.

Tess’ face dropped, sighing exasperatedly, “Tell me that’s not why you’re here.”

“Hear me out,” he pleaded, leaning forwards on the table. “Lee Ashworth is back in the country. He’s staying near me.  There’s grounds for reopening the case.”

“Don’t do this,”  Tess practically begged, shaking her head. 

“Potential new evidence... a pressed bluebell sent to Claire Ripely anonymously,” he told her before turning to Ellie, “Plus, Miller, tell her what she told you about that night.”

Ellie paused before explaining, “Uh... Claire said that, the night the girls went missing, Lee drugged her with Rohypnol. She slept all night. When she woke  up, he was cleaning the place.”

Tess looked entirely too patient, “So, Claire Ripley’s down there with you too?”

“She’s changed her story,” Alec added.

“Has she made a statement?” Tess questioned.

Ellie shook her head, “We were just talking.”

“Would she give a statement?”

“I dunno. I haven’t asked her,” Ellie admitted.

Eve shook her head, piping up, “I’d doubt it though.”

“Couple of officers,” Alec said, cutting in. “That’s all I need. Some  surveillance -”

“You’re not even on active duty!” Tess protested, cutting him off. “Unless we have a genuinely significant new lead, there’s just not appetite to-”

“At least talk to your superiors,” Alec said quickly.

“What is wrong with you?” Tess asked loudly, pulling a glare from Eve. “How can you imagine I’d want to go back to it after what it did to us?”

Ellie’s eyes widened, “Oh, God, you’re his ex-wife.” 

“He didn’t tell you,” Tess asked breathily. She scoffed, “Of course he didn’t. Why am I even surprised?”

“He told me we were meeting the officer who could reopen the case,”

“Yeah, I could, but I’m not going to,” Tess said firmly.

Eve leaned forwards on the table with a dark look in her eyes. Her normally bright grey eyes looked like dark storm clouds. “Why not? Scared that your daughter will find out what really happened? Don’t want to face up to your own mistake? Internal politics? Personal inconvenience? I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’d reopen the case, because a girl’s body is still missing. A killer is walking free. There are two families that don’t have closure. I’d reopen it regardless of what it would cost me.”

Tess bristled, “Don’t take the moral high ground with me.”

Eve scoffed, “Me? Take the moral high ground? From what I’ve heard you built a bloody house there despite the fact that you were in the wrong.”

“I see the families every month. I write, phone, and visit. I didn’t run,” Tess accused. 

Eve pointed at Alec, “He had no bloody choice. You and no one else in this town stood up for him. None of you believed in him.”

“Maybe he should’ve made more friends.”

“What like you and Dave?” Eve snarled. “At least now he’s found someone that actually believes in him and is more than willing to jump into the fire with him.”

Ellie went to interrupt the agreement, but Eve’s angry glare turned to her. “Not a word, Miller!” Eve ordered through gritted teeth. Her eyes went back to Tess, “I’m not even close to being done yet.”

She sneered at the woman, “I’ve waited a long time to say this to you. Fuck you!”

Alec and Ellie look at each other in shock. 

Eve pointed at Tess, “You made vows to be with that man for the rest of your life. Granted, you breaking them worked out in my favor, but that’s not the point. What you did is one of the most hurtful, disgusting, and disrespectful things that anyone can do to a loved one, but then again... you probably never actually loved him because if you did then the thought would have never crossed your mind. You were so focused on what you were missing that you didn’t realize what you had. I find that there is usually something very wrong with someone’s character if opportunity decides their loyalty.”

She pointed at Alec, “That man loved you at one point, and from what I’ve seen that means he’d have done anything for you, but no... you threw that away.” Eve sneered again, “He can’t ever tell you how he really feels because he can’t risk you cutting him off from his daughter more than you already have.”

Tess just smirked, leaning forwards to get in the redhead’s face, “Who cheated on you then? You reacting a bit strongly, so someone must have thrown you away for something better.”

Eve right hand clenched into a fist, “You better get out of my face, or else you're  gonna need a doctor.” 

Ellie pushed both women back from each other as gently as she could, both of them glaring at the other. “All right, that’s enough. I think you’ve both gone a bit too far. This is not about either of you. This is about Pippa and Lisa, and getting them and their families justice.” She looked at Tess, “There is no reason to give up trying.” Eve opened her mouth, but Ellie pointed at her, “This doesn’t have to turn into anything personal.” Ellie leaned back, “Why don’t we save this conversation for another time? When we all have cooler heads.”

“Right, I’m  gonna leave,” Tess stood, gathering her coat. She looked at Alec, who took a sip of his tea, “Don’t be late for dinner. Daisy’s actually looking forward to seeing you.” She glared at Eve, “And meeting you.” Tess turned back to Ellie, “Nice to meet you. Good luck with the trial.” Then, she hurried out of the  restaurant . 

Ellie turned to Eve with a disappointed look on her face before she reached over to smack the redhead’s left hand, “Unbelievable.”

Eve shrugged, “Oh, she had that coming to her. She got off a bit to easily for what she did.”

Ellie shook her head, “God help anyone who crosses your future kids. They’ll have to face the walking hurricane that is their mother.”

Eve smirked, taking a sip of her tea, setting it down lightly. “I don’t let other people hurt the ones I love.”

Ellie smiled fondly. “What?” Eve asked.

“Just remembering  why you are such a good babysitter. Never let anything get to the little ones.”

Eve blushed, “I’m just very protective.”

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing. You’re protective, but you're not overbearing,” Ellie pointed out. “You let people make their mistakes, and then show them why they were wrong.”

Alec had a dreamy look on his face as the two women spoke, the image of Eve holding a little baby girl came to mind.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec gave Eve a warning look as the entered the chicken restaurant, “Don’t start another fight.”

Eve holds her right hand over her left heart, and raises her left hand, “I won’t start a fight. Promise.” She dropped her hands,  “ ‘ sides I’ll be too occupied being mesmerized by Miss Daisy. Wouldn’t want to fight in front of her. It’s going to be hard enough considering I’m the other woman in her Dad’s life.”

Alec could see the anxious look on her face as she began to wring her hands, “Tess said Daisy was excited to meet you. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Eve reached over to take his right hand in her left, “Doesn’t matter what you say. This... this is important. Vital even. Daisy’s your daughter. I could make things difficult if she doesn’t like me. I don’t want you to have to choose between me and your daughter. I’d rather you choose your daughter anyway.”

Alec leaned over to kiss her temple, “Relax. It won’t come to that. I’m certain of it.”

Eve hummed lightly as they made their way over to the table that she could see Tess and a young lady sitting at. Daisy looked just like her parents, straight light brown hair like Alec, but bright blue eyes like Tess. She was beautiful. 

Tess stood, dressed less formally, and a bit calmer upon seeing the redhead. She held out her hand, “Nice to meet you again. Hopefully this time under better circumstances.” Tess gestures to the teenager next to her, “This is Daisy.”

Eve beamed at her, holding out her hand, “Hello, Daisy. I’m Evelyn, but most people just call me Eve. You can call me either.”

Alec looked at Eve with eyes wide in surprise as Daisy grinned at the redhead, shaking her hand, “You’re way out of his league.”

“Oi!” Alec protested as Eve and Daisy laughed at him. 

Eve shrugged, “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Your Dad’s pretty great when he’s not being grumpy all the time.” She looks Daisy up and down, “Although, you are just as beautiful as he said you were. Talks about you all the time. Very touching.”

Alec tried to hide the reddening of his cheeks as he gestured to the table, “Shall we sit?”

“Course,” Tess chimed, retaking her seat on the bench next to Daisy as Alec pulled out a chair for Eve, which she gratefully took. Alec sat down in the chair to Eve’s left knowing that she preferred him to her left.

Daisy looked at Eve curiously, leaning forwards on the table, “How old are you?”

“Daisy!” Tess  admonished .

Eve chuckled, “It’s fine. Really. I’m 30. I'm just lucky that I look younger than I am.” She raises an eyebrow, opening her menu, “I hear that you are 15 though. A high schooler now.”

Daisy rolled her eyes, “Yeah. How did you and Dad meet?”

“I’m a detective at Broadchurch CID, so we worked together. I think I got under his grumpy skin with all the tea I kept giving him.”

“Too bloody right,” Alec muttered as he pulled his glasses out to peer at his menu.

The waiter came up to take their orders, both Tess and Daisy getting a chicken salad. He turned to Eve, whose eyes quickly skimmed the menu. She looked up at the waiter, “I’ll have the creamy garlic chicken pasta.” She handed him her menu, “Thanks.”

Alec kept staring at the menu through his glasses, “Have you got anything that isn’t chicken?”

Eve face palmed as the waiter offered, “There’s the spicy bean burger.”

“Oh, God, no,” he grumbled.

“Or a salad?”

“Dad, it’s a chicken joint,” Daisy reminded him.

“I just don’t really fancy it,” he murmured.

Tess grinned, “See?”

“What?” Alec asked in confusion.

Daisy giggled, “Mum said you’d be fussy.”

“I’m not!” He protested. 

Eve snorted, “Oh, you so are.” She took the menu out of his hands, closing it and handing it to the waiter, “Look, just bring him the chicken and cornmeal dumplings.” The waiter nodded, writing that down. “Thanks,” she told him as he turned to walk away.

Alec took his glasses off, putting them away, leaning on the table. “So, how’s school?” he asked Daisy.

“Pretty shit,” she answered. Eve tried to hide her smile.

“Oh, we’re using words like that now, are we?” Alec asked in mild surprise, turning to Tess with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me!” Tess defended. “I’ve been fighting this for the past 18 months.”

“Dad, ‘shit’ is not swearing,” Daisy protested.

“Erm, it is!” Alec argued.

“Ah, thank you. See?” Tess happily agreed. 

Daisy looked between them exasperatedly, “No, it’s not! Look at you both. You have no idea.” She looked at Eve, “What do you think, Evelyn?”

Eve froze for a minute before she cleared her throat, “Well... I have a twin brother, who likes to use the fact that he was born 5 minutes before me as a reason why he is superior, and my parents always preferred when he cursed at each other than when we hit each other, so... I don’t know exactly where I was going with that, but I’m fine with cursing.” She pointed at Daisy, “Especially at your age, it’s  gonna happen regardless.”

Daisy nodded her head approvingly, “Let’s go get our drinks.”

Eve’s eyebrows rose in shock, but she followed after the teenager eagerly, exclaiming, “Ding Dong! Okay!”

Eve went ahead and ordered herself an AMF (Adios Motherfucker) since she wouldn’t be the one driving back to Broadchurch tonight as that responsibility had fallen on Ellie, and scotch for Alec. Daisy ordered a soda before turning to Eve, “Are you going to marry my Dad?”

Eve’s eyebrows rose in shock, once again startled by the girls' blunt questions. She smiled softly thought, “If I’m lucky. Would you be alright with that?”

Daisy shrugged, “I mean you two seem to be good together. I know Dad won’t go back to mum. Not after what she did.”

Eve raised an eyebrow, “What did your mum do?"

Daisy gave Eve a knowing look, “I know that the unnamed DS the screwed up the case that Dad protected was my mum. He wouldn’t protect anyone else besides maybe you now like that. I mean it was  kinda obvious. DS meets other DS at hotel for a drink? Very suspicious. I put two and two together.”

Eve sighed, nodding to the bartender as he came back with her AMF and Alec’s scotch. She fingered the rim of her drink, “Your Dad didn’t want you knowing that about her. He thought you needed your mom more than him.”

“My relationship with him suffered the consequences instead because he was run out of here,” Daisy remarked.

Eve turned to the girl with a smile, “Well... I think he’d enjoy it if you called, skyped, or visited anytime you wanted to. He’d be absolutely thrilled actually.” Eve puts a hand on Daisy’s shoulder, “He really loves and misses you, Daisy.”

Daisy nodded, looking at the redhead curiously, “Do you and Dad live together?”

The redhead nodded, taking a sip of her drink, “For a long while now, yeah. We lived in my old house for  a while , but I had some bad memories there, so we moved into this little blue house on the water.”

“Do you two have sex?” Daisy asked bluntly as Eve took another sip of her drink, which was promptly spit out in surprise. 

Eve raised an eyebrow at the girl, “Daughter of two detectives? Too curious for her own good.”

Daisy smirked, “Just answer the question.”

Eve shook her head with a fond roll of her eyes, “You’re worse than your father. Yes, we do, but don’t think  you're getting any of the juicy details about it.”

Daisy grimaced, “ Ew . I never want to know.”

“Good,” Eve hummed before she jerked her thumb over her  shoulder , “Better get make and make sure they haven’t killed each other.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

As Eve and Daisy had left for the bar, Alec turned to Tess, “Oh, God, she’s older, isn’t she? Not just in days, but her manner and the way she dresses...”

“She’s not a little girl anymore,” Tess agreed sadly.

“Yeah...” he leaned back in his chair. “... I missed her change.”

“Yes, you did,” Tess murmured. She leaned forward, resting a hand on the table, “Let the case go, Alec.”

He groaned. “You know I can’t do that.”

They were interrupted by a clearly irate Ricky Gillespie walking up to them, looking at them with scorn, “Have you given him the  bollocking , or shall I?”

Alec turned to look at the man in surprise, “Ricky.” He turned to look at Tess, “Did you tell him I was here?”

Tess looked guilty, “Ricky called me earlier to lodge a complaint of harassment against you-”

Ricky pointed at him, “You leave Cate alone. She’s too fragile.”

“We all want the truth,” Alec told him tiredly.

“We had the truth and you screwed it up for us. You’re a failure! You can never put it right,” Ricky spat.

It was then that Eve and Daisy walked up with their drinks. Eve immediately sat hers and Alec’s down feeling the tense atmosphere. Daisy just looked confused, “What’s going on?”

Ricky deflated at little when he saw Daisy, turning to Tess, “Is this your girl?”

Tess nodded silently, biting her fingernail.

Ricky turned to Daisy, asking softly, “How old are you, sweetheart?”

“Fifteen,” Daisy answered, still very obviously confused.

Ricky looked reminiscent, “I had a girl like you. She was murdered... and thanks to your Dad, the man’s still free.”

Daisy and Eve shared a look over the top of Alec’s head, and Eve very quickly blocked him from standing up. She very gently gripped Daisy’s arm, moving her to stand behind her Dad. Eve’s neck twitched violently as she sized Ricky up, “That’s quite enough, Mr. Gillespie. You’re upset, I understand; however, I think it’s more than past the time that you went home.”

Ricky glared at the redhead, who was less than half his size, “Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? I have no home because of him!”

Eve gave him a warning look, “That’s not exactly Alec’s fault,  now, is it?”

Ricky pointed his finger in her face. “Now, listen you little bit-” He started to argue.

Alec’s chair scrapped against the wooden floor as he stood up, but froze in surprise when Eve’s hands flew up backwards to catch Ricky’s wrist in her own. Then, in one swift motion, her right hand wrapped around his index finger, twisting it, and bringing his palm downwards towards the floor while pushing his finger back a little towards his wrist. 

Ricky cried out in pain, falling to his knees, trying to pull away, but Eve just held onto his finger tighter, pushing it back a little further, her face scrunching up in anger. She looked up briefly to see all the patrons of the restaurant watching with rapt attention. In another quick motion, she whipped her badge out of her blazer, waving it around, “Police business. Go back to your meals.”

Everyone went back to their meals, but watched out of the side of their eyes. 

Eve kneeled down in front of the man that she had at her mercy, “Mr. Gillespie, I’m only  gonna warn you one more time. Go. Home.”

Then, she let go of his finger, and he practically stumbled to the door. Eve popped her neck in satisfaction, turning back to the table, reaching for her drink, “Everyone alright?”

Daisy just stared at the redhead in awe before whispering to her Dad, “I love her.”

Eve took a sip of her drink as she sat down. 

“Where did you learn to do that?” Alec asked with wide eyes.

Eve smirked, “Had to get that twin brother of mine to bend to my will somehow. Like I said earlier, my parents much preferred when we cursed at each other.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

At the end of dinner, Daisy pulled her Dad as Eve flipped her coat around her shoulders, whispering, “Dad, whatever you do, don’t what you and Evelyn have up.”

“I won’t,” Alec assured her, pulling his daughter in for a hug. 

Eve was very excited to get a hug from Daisy as well, the teenager insisting on getting her number before her and Alec had to leave to head back to Broadchurch with Ellie. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve smiled giddily at Alec as they got into the back of the cab to head back to the hotel to meet up with Ellie for the drive home, “I think that went swimmingly.”

“You certainly earned Daisy’s favor,” Alec remarked, his arm coming to rest around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. 

Eve looked up at him sadly, “She knows that Tess was the one who lost the pendant, and that she had an affair with another DS. She put it together after Maggie’s ran the exclusive you gave her and Oliver. I didn’t say anything, I swear. She told me.”

“Oh, fantastic,” Alec said sarcastically, resting his head against hers. 

“She wasn’t angry, Alec,” Eve told him. “If anything, she’s missed you as much as you’ve missed her. I told her she could visit anytime.”

Alec looked at her lovingly, pressing a kiss to her nose, “I bloody love you.”

Eve giggled softly, resting a hand on his chest, over his heart. Her face suddenly sobered, “Ricky did it.”

Alec pulled back in shock, “What? Ricky Gillespie did what?”

Eve played with one of the buttons on his shirt, whispering, “I think Ricky killed Lisa. Lee said that he’d been making passes at her, and Ellie and I could hear you and Cate talking though the wall. Ricky was cheating on Cate, any chance he got, so... maybe he got jealous and killed her. Why else would he not want the case to reopen?”

Alec was silent in thought, but he leaned down to kiss her on the temple.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The drive back to Broadchurch had been eerily silent the whole time. Ellie couldn’t take it anymore as she and Alec and Eve walked up to the courthouse, “I’ve just driven through the night, and not neither of you have said a word. Now, Hardy that’s not  unusual , but you Eve? You never shut up. What’s bothering you two?”

“Ricky Gillespie,” Alec told her, fixing his collar after having put his tie on in the car. “Why would a father not want an investigation to restart into the death of his own daughter?” He looked devastated, “What if Lee Ashworth didn’t do it? What if he’s been telling the truth? What if I’ve been wrong?” Eve took his hand comfortingly.

The trio was silent for a minute before Ellie slapped Alec’s arm gently to get his attention, “Oh, my God, I meant to tell you. When Claire and I went out drinking, I checked her phone, the one you gave her.”

“Yeah?” Alec asked with interest.

“Well, firstly, all the internet searches are about Lee: ‘Lee Ashworth killer.’ Bit odd,” She mentioned.

“Second?” he prompted.

“And she only had two numbers in her phone. First one was yours. The other I didn’t recognize. Oh, I’ve put it in my phone, hang on.” Ellie pulled out her phone and dialed the number, holding it to her ear as the trio made their way through security. “No, it’s just ringing out.”

“Right, come on, we’re late,” Alec waved them both on.

They walked through the doors of the courtroom, just behind Maggie and Oliver, who were whispering quickly back and forth. When Oliver saw Ellie he said, “Hey, defense  aren’t calling Joe.”

“What? Why not?” Ellie asked.

Oliver shook his head signifying that he didn’t know as Maggie showed Alec and Eve her phone. Angry looks came over both their faces when they saw an article about Lee Ashworth coming to live in Broadchurch. “I didn’t know,” Maggie told them. 

“All Rise!” the clerk said, and Alec handed Maggie her phone back. 

He rested a hand on Eve’s lower back directing her to sit between him and Ellie. Although, she was on his left instead of his right, which bothered her a little. Alec glared at Oliver from across the room.

Once everyone sat down, Sharon stood, “The defense calls Susan Wright.”

Alec, Eve, and Ellie shared surprised looks with each other before turning to watch as Susan was led to the stand. She gave them a smug look when she saw them.

“Would you please give your full name to the court?” Sharon requested.

“Susan Wright,” the blonde woman drawled.

“And you were living at Tides Carvan Park on July 18 th , 2013?” Sharon questioned.

“I was.”

“Miss Wright, where were you in the early hours of the morning?”

“I was walking my dog, Vince, on the beach at Broadchurch. I’ve a caravan nearby.”

“And did you see anything significant on the beach that morning?”

“I saw a boat come in... and a man carrying the body of a young boy. Then, he laid it on the beach.”

“Did you recognize the man carrying the body?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Oh no,” Eve breathed. “Not this. Anything, but this.”

“And can you name the man for the court?” Sharon requested.

“Nigel Carter,” Susan said with not an inch of remorse. She hadn’t even hesitated. “He’s my son, and he’s sitting over there.”

“What in the living fuck ?” Eve hissed lowly.


	27. The Suspect List Just Gets Wider

“You don’t have to come with us to question this woman,” Alec told Elie as he and Eve met up at Ellie’s old house. He was originally just going to take Eve, but the redhead has woken up with severe pain in her shoulder, and he was reluctant to make her work when she was in so much pain regardless of how much she tried to deny it. He’d had to help her get dressed that morning in a grey lace dress that zipped in the back because she couldn’t raise her arm. 

“No, I want to,” Ellie insisted, leaning against the front window. Her first meeting with Tom in several weeks had not gone very well, and he’d refused to come back and live with her. “My life has all gone to shit. At least fixing your mess gives me a distraction.”

“Are you going to move back in here?” He asked looking around the abandoned house, his eyes landing on Eve, who had collapsed on the couch with her head thrown over the back of it. She looked miserable. 

“Only when I’ve got Tom back. Are we going or not?” Ellie asked, wanting to get out of the house that was filled with tainted memories as soon as possible. She made her way out of the living room as Alec went to help Eve haul herself off the couch with a pained groan being the reward for his efforts.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Tiffany Evans was surprised and wary when the three detectives approached her at the floral place that she worked at, asking, “Where  did you say you were from?”

“South Mercia police. We’re looking into an old case,” Alec lied calmly. 

Eve grimaced violently as she lifted her journal that was in her left hand, “On the 14 th of April, 2012, were you the bridesmaid for Martin and Esther Kelly’s wedding at  Longthorne Hotel?”

Tiffany thought for a moment, “I don’t know if that was the date, but I was at the wedding?” She looked at the redhead in concern as the hand holding the journal trembled. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Eve quickly lied.

“Did you have sex with a man called Ricky Gillespie that night?” Alec asked bluntly.

Tiffany gaped, “Wow, you don’t mess about!” She shifted. “You mean the Ricky whose girl was killed?” 

“Yeah,” Ellie confirmed.

“No, I didn’t. I mean, he tried it on. He was after me all night. He even followed me to my room when I went to change my shoes, ‘cos my heels were killing me, and he had this little silver hip flask. He kept trying to make me have a drink with him, but I threw him out. A bit much. He was there with his wife. The last I saw, he was heading back to the car park, “Tiffany explained. 

“How long was he in your room for?” Ellie asked. 

Tiffany shrugged, “Five, ten minutes. I didn’t see him for the rest of the evening.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Once the trio had gotten back to Broadchurch, they discussed the case, trekking along the beach before they had to go to court. 

“So, Cate Gillespie was wrong. Ricky wasn’t with another woman,” Alec commented.

“Nobody saw him for two hours. Where was he? And who takes a hip flask to a wedding? Do you think he was going to drug her?” Ellie speculated.

“I haven’t heard any reports of him trying that sort of thing,” Alec told her.

Eve stopped walking, looking out at the waves, “Claire said that Lee drugged her with Rohypnol. Maybe he got it from Ricky? Or it was something the four of them used to do together?”

“I don’t know. When we’re done in court today, we’ll talk to her,” Alec decided.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”When was the last time you had your eyesight tested? What about your night vision? Ever had that tested?” Jocelyn probed Susan.

“Never had a test,” Susan answered smugly, “but I eat a lot of carrots.”

“So, you have no idea how far you can see either in the daytime or at night?”

“I can see the moon and that’s a fair distance,” Susan shot back.

“Very good. Can we turn to your son, Mr. Carter?” Jocelyn changed directions, flipping through her notes” You hadn’t seen him in 28 years, had you?”

“I know what he looks like, if that’s what you’re getting at,” Susan snarled. 

“In Mr. Carter’s sworn statement to the police he says, ‘I don’t even know who she is.’ ‘I don’t want anything to do with her.’” Jocelyn read out from her papers on the case transcripts where word for word copies had been made straight from Eve’s journal.

“Police got it wrong,” Susan retorted in a ‘know-it-all' tone. “Police get it wrong all the time. It’s a fact.”

“It’s not, actually,” The Judge corrected, looking unimpressed. “Stick to answering the questions you’ve been asked, Miss Wright.”

Susan rolled her eyes, “Okay!”

“When you first saw Danny’s body on the beach, why didn’t you call for an ambulance?” Jocelyn carried right on.

“A bit late by then,” Susan scoffed.

“You seem very certain,” Jocelyn commented. “Did you check? Are you medically qualified?”

“It was obvious what had happened,” Susan countered.

“Why didn’t you call the police?”

“I didn’t want to dump Nigel in it,” Susan answered hesitantly.

“How do you explain police forensics finding four cigarette butts with your DNA on them next to Danny’s body?”

“I smoked a lot of cigarettes on that beach.”

“Why did you take the skateboard?”

“I thought it might get nicked,” Susan explained nonchalantly.

“It did get nicked, didn’t it?” Jocelyn remarked with a laugh in her voice. “By you!”

Susan glared at her, “I thought the family would want it back.”

Eve laid her head on Alec’s  shoulder , “The defense is  gonna be really hurting after this.”

Alec kissed the top of her head, whispering, “Calling Susan was a mistake.”

“Big one,” the redhead agreed.

“Do you know who Maggie Radcliffe is?” Jocelyn asked.

“No,” Susan lied. 

Jocelyn looked at her notes, “The editor of the  _ Broadchurch Echo,  _ whose office you broke into around 11:37 P.M on the 24 th of July, 2013, and whom you threatened by saying, and I quote, ‘I know men who would rape you.’”

“Not true,” Susan denied without blinking, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. 

“What’s not true?” Jocelyn questioned. “You don’t know men like that or you do?”

“I never said it!” Susan denied again.

“Why would she lie?” Jocelyn proposed.

Susan shrugged, “She’s a journalist.”

“Right!” Jocelyn said with a laugh. “Journalists and police lie and you’re the only honest woman here.”

Susan smirked, “If you like.”

“Isn’t it true that every word you have told this court since you stood up in the witness box is a lie?” Jocelyn asked, knowing full well that she was right.

“No,” Susan denied.

“You didn’t see Nigel Carter. You saw Joe Miller.”

“No.”

“But you want to pin the blame on the son who’s rejected you.”

“No!”

“You’ve lied to this court time and time again, just as you’ve lied to the police!” Jocelyn countered.

“No!” Susan yelled.

“Why should the jury believe a single word you say?”

Susan paused as a smug look came over her face. Then, she sneered at Jocelyn, “You  ain’t all that.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie scowled at Susan when she saw the older blonde woman walking out, and she marched up to her, “Did you enjoy yourself, lying in there?”

Susan smirked, “It’s not my husband in the dock. I suppose you knew all along.”

Ellie looked disgusted. “No!” She denied.

“ Of course, you did. We all know. We all turn a blind eye.”

Ellie shook her head, “Not me, that’s not what happened.”

“Of course not,” Susan retorted sarcastically. “You just keep telling yourself that.” As Susan walked away, Ellie could feel eyes on her and she turned to see Beth, Mark, and Nigel watching from the second floor, and Lucy from the stairs. She felt uncomfortable under so many eyes, so she quickly walked over to the doors. 

Eve and Alec had watched to confrontation from afar, and Eve was quick to grab Alec’s right hand, despite the persistent radiating burn in her left shoulder, and pulled him along as she went after Ellie.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie was silent, staring at the road, as she drove to Claire’s house. 

“Are you alright?” Alec asked.

“They’ll always think I knew,” Ellie muttered. “No matter what the verdict, they’ll always think I was in on it.”

“Just give them time,” Alec told her. 

“Oh, brilliant!” Ellie said sarcastically. “Thanks for that shitty platitude. That’s fixed  everything !”

“He’s right, you know. They’ll eventually calm down and see reason. They’ll realize that you really didn’t now,” Eve piped up from the back seat. 

Ellie sighed, “Does Claire know we’re coming?”

“No,” Alec said.

Ellie groaned.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec sat across from Claire with Eve on his right with her trusty journal and pen out while Ellie sat on his left at the head of the kitchen table. “I want you to tell me and Eve what you told Miller about that night,” he demanded.

Claire tsked, looking at Ellie with betrayal, “That was supposed to be between us.”

Ellie shook her head, “There are no secrets between the three of us.”

Claire gave Alec a smug look, “Oh! Is that right?”

“Claire, I don’t care about what you’ve said before. I want the truth now,” Alec demanded. He was getting tired of all the lies that surrounded this case.

Claire sighed, “That night, I went to see a friend, Marie, like I told you before. Except... I didn’t stay over. I came home, and I had a drink with Lee. I think he spiked my drink with Rohypnol. I was out for a long time and when I woke, it was morning and he was cleaning.”

Eve’s pen scratched away. 

“What sort of cleaning?” Alec questioned.

“Bathroom, washing linen, hoovering, washing floors,” she listed. “He said he fancied a spring clean.”

“So, he drugged you, now he’s cleaning the house and the next morning two girls get reported missing from next door, but you don’t think to tell anyone?” Ellie askes, chiming in.

“I didn’t want to think it was possible,” Claire told her.

“What about now? Do you think he could have killed those girls?”

“No.”

“This is now the third version of that night that you’ve come up with,” Alec reminded. “Why couldn’t you tell me this before?”

“I didn’t want you knowing what he used to do to me,” Claire defended. 

Alec quickly reached across the table to grab her phone.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Claire demanded.

He went through her outgoing calls until he found the unknown number, Eve looking over his shoulder to jot it down. Alec showed Claire the number, “Whose number’s that?”

“I don’t know. It was an incoming call. I think it was a wrong number,” Claire answered.

“It was an outgoing call,” Eve pointed out.

“Because I called it back to check and it just rang and-” she tried to ramble, making a grab for the phone.

“This area code, that’s where you lived with Lee,” Alec said, cutting her off, pulling the phone back before she could grab it.

“Now, I feel like I’m being questioned!” Claire accused them, looking at Eve’s journal before tearing the phone out of Alec’s hand, slamming it on the table.

“Too bloody right,” Alec agreed angrily. “You were my key witness and now you say you were lying all along.”

“No! I’m not lying,” Claire insisted.

“What, then?”

"Just trying to protect him.”

“Him or yourself?” Alec retorted.

“Or maybe a bit of both?” Eve added.

Claire glared at them, “That’s not fair!”

“So, this is now definitively, this is now what happened that night?” Alec questioned.

“Yes,” Claire drawled out.

“Really?” he asked. “Claire?”

Claire averted her eyes, “There is erm... He was here when you went away, and we had sex upstairs.”

“What? Claire?” Ellie asked in surprise.

“You left me alone, Alec,” Claire passed on the blame before turning to Ellie. “I’ve told you, he’s like a drug. I can’t stop myself! I can’t!””

Eve shut her journal loudly, standing up, “First off, learn a little self-control. You don’t see me having Alec right here on this table before he begged for mercy twice right now, do you? Secondly, you’re a grown ass woman, you don’t need someone looking after you.”

She made her way out of the kitchen, Alec quickly following after her, “Come on, Miller.”

“Are you going?” Claire asked Ellie. “I don’t want to be on my own, please, ” she begged.

Ellie shrugged, “Child care. Sorry.”

“Well, what happens now, then?” Claire demanded.

“Miller!” Alec called from the door prompting Ellie to quickly follow him out.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve, Alec, and Ellie, now with the addition of little Freddie trekked through the fair that had been set up in the large field at the back of Alec and Eve’s house. Ellie was smiling and pointing out everything that she saw for Fred’s sake. “Oh, bumper cars, Hardy!” She exclaimed causing Eve to snort as she bumped into Alec, who looked annoyed. Ellie quickly dropped her smile as she looked around, “I think this is brilliant! Did you not  know this was going to be behind your house?”

“The rental company forgot to mention it when we took it on,” Alec grunted.

Eve forced her left arm to raise a little bit as she linked arms with him, “Oh, love, I think that was on purpose.”

Ellie laughed, peaking at her son in his stroller, “Oh, Fred, we could go on the teacups, couldn’t we? We could take Uncle Alec and Auntie Evie.” Alec sent her a glare, causing the woman to laugh even more. Eve let go of his arm to lean down in front of Fred, walking backwards, “Don’t worry, Freddie. I’m sure I can bat my eyes at Uncle Alec and get him to go on the teacups.”

Alec rolled his eyes as they walked between fences towards the gate to his and Eve’s house. He pushed it open to see Ricky at the doorstep, Iris pawing eagerly at the door. Eve walked over to let the bearded collie out, who barked happily at the sight of both her owners. 

“Ricky, what are you doing here?” Alec demanded as Iris followed Eve as she went to make faces at Fred. 

Ricky regarded him in amusement, “Is this really your gaff?”

“Oi!” Eve protested. “I happen to like it, thank you very much.”

Ricky nodded as he noticed Ellie, holding out his hand, “Sorry, Ricky Gillespie.”

Ellie shook his hand, “Ellie Miler. We work together.”

“What are you doing here?” Alec demanded again, but louder. 

“I came to apologize,” Ricky explained. “When Cate told me you’d been around, I  overacted .”

“That’s one word for it,” Eve commented.

“A long way to come to say that,” Alec added.

“I know Ashworth is down here. You  seen him?” Ricky said darkly. Alec nodded silently. “Tell me where he is.”

“Ricky, that won’t help anyone,” Alec sighed.

“It’s eating me up, knowing he’s back in the country,” Ricky hissed.

“You really want to help?” Alec asked. He nodded towards Eve and Ellie, “Take to Eve and Miller here. They’re going through the case, looking to see if we’ve missed anything.”

Eve held up a finger, pointing to Ellie, “Actually he can talk to her. I’ve actually still been a detective for the last 6 months. She needs to get her feet wet again.” Eve beamed at Freddie as she took him out of his stroller, situating him on her right hip, “I’ll take little Freddie to have some fun while the adults talk.”

Ellie looked relieved, “Would you? That’d be lovely, Eve.” She tickled her son’s belly, “You and Auntie Evie are going to have some  fun together, aren’t you, Fred?”

While Ellie interacted with her son, Eve caught Alec’s eye briefly. She smiled at him before turning that smile to Fred, who was clapping excitedly. Eve always looked so happy with children regardless of who's they were. He smiled sadly when he realized that she behaved like a mother without a child. He’d seen it the other day with Daisy as well. Eve had quickly put herself on the teenager’s level to bond with her, to try to understand her, desperate for the connection that she so obviously craved without even realizing it.

Eve waved with Fred at all of them as she walked towards the fair with a little skip in her step. Fred giggling as he bounced slightly in her arms. 

Ellie and Ricky took seats at the wooden picnic table outside of the house while Alec perched himself on the stone steps.

“Tell me about your daughter, Pippa,” Ellie started.

“She was my baby girl, you know,” Ricky said fondly. “She was sporty. Good runner. Played netball for the school team. Demon at table tennis. Competitive. Didn’t like losing. I always spoilt her. My only child.”

“What did she want to be when she grew up?” Ellie asked.

“It kept changing. The last few months it was err... hairdresser.”

Alec and Ellie both thought of Claire. 

“The night both girls disappeared, you were at a wedding with Claire. You were together all night?” Ellie questioned.

“I had to look after her. She was pissed. Sign of things to come, eh?” he remarked,  referring to the fact that Cate was an alcoholic now.

Alec felt his vison go hazy as his chest tightened. He groaned, breathing heavily as he stood up to stand by the water. He ignored the confused looks he got from Ricky and Ellie. His heart was getting worse.

“And tell me about Lisa.” Ellie prompted, gaining Ricky’s attention again.

“She was my niece. Tricky relationship with her dad. Still uses her mum’s surname,” he described.

“She babysat for you quite regularly?”

Ricky nodded, “Every other week. Sometimes she’d stay over, other times I’d take her home.”

“Did she have a boyfriend?”

He shook his head, “No one regular.”

“Did you fancy her, Ricky?” Ellie asked carefully, not wanting to set him off. Alec turned around at the question.

Ricky’s face hardened, “She was my niece.”

Ellie smiled  apologetically , “I had to ask.”

Ricky glared at her, “No, you didn’t.”

Alec and Ellie shared a look.

Ricky made his leave after that, Alec and Ellie standing by the back gate, watching him leave. Once he was out of sight, they looked over to see Eve trying to teach Fred how to play corn hole. She seemed to be struggling, as she used her right hand to help him while her left hand weakly threw her own bags. Fred seemed happy enough, clapping whenever one of his bags got in the hole. 

Ellie was smiling softly, “She’s remarkably good with children.” She glanced at Alec curiously, “Do you think you’ll have children with her?”

Alec shrugged, “Never really talked about it. I don’t think I’d mind though.”

Eve giggled, getting a confused look from Alec. Ellie waved her hand excitedly, “I’m sorry. Eve just seems like she could very easily be a housewife. Pregnant, barefoot in the kitchen with a baby on her hip. Though, to be fair, she’d probably work right up till the day the kid popped out. Workaholic she is.”

Alec shook his head, “Nah. Couldn't make a housewife out of her. Not that she wouldn't make a great one if she chose to be. She's too dedicated to the job though, she’d bring the baby to work.”

Ellie hummed at the thought, “They’d probably have her bright grey eyes, and she’d set the baby carrier in your office saying ‘Keep an eye on Daddy for me. He likes to scheme.’”

They quickly changed the subject when Eve herself came up to them with Fred on her hip, “How’d it  go ?”

“Fine,” Ellie answered, turning to Alec, “How much did you look into Ricky at the time?”

“He had a solid alibi,” Alec told them. “He and Cate said they were at the  wedding together.”

Eve shook her head, “Cate broke that though when she changed her story. Then, the florist, Tiffany Evans confirmed it. Seems to me as if he’s lying.”

“Looks that way,” he agreed.

“So, who are our suspects?” Ellie asked.

“Got Ashworth, Ricky, Claire, and that stalker on the estate. Possibly Cate,” Alec listed off.

“That’s right, don’t trust anyone,” Ellie remarked.

Alec sighed, nodding to Fred in Eve’s arms, “You should go, Miller. Take Fred. Sleep.”

Both women looked at him in surprise that he’d managed to remember Fred’s name. 

Ellie shook her head, “I don’t sleep much at the moment, I don’t like my flat, and I want to take a proper look at all your Sandbrook files.”

Eve nodded eagerly, “I’ll get in on that as well.”

“Don’t get pulled into this,” Alec warned them. “This case has done enough damage to people.”

Ellie shook her head again, “Not us. We’re  gonna solve it.” She turned to Eve, “I’m  gonna need your wall.”

Eve beamed, “Go right on ahead.” She turned to Alec with a raised eyebrow, “You alright?”

“Fine,” he lied.

Eve didn’t look convinced as she reached out to pull him down gently to peck his lips, “I know  you're not, but I’ll leave you be for now.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Ellie made quick work of all the files that surrounded them in boxes on the floor in the living room. They took artwork off the wall to pin up maps and other papers that were full of information in their place. Ellie had set up Fred with Iris on the couch with some of his toys.

While the  worked-on pinning papers up, Ellie glanced at Eve, “Out of curiosity what was your favorite toy growing up?”

Eve looked at her in confusion, “Lite- Brite . Why?”

Ellie glanced towards where Alec was sitting on the stone steps outside, “Just curious.” She nodded towards Fred, “Always looking for something to spoil him with.”

That seemed to satisfy Eve as she pinned a map up, “Well, I loved my Lite-Brite.”

“Pretty colors?” Ellie asked with a smirk.

“Shut up, Miller,” Eve muttered.

Fred gurgled as he laid a bear down on its back. Ellie glanced over, “ Gonna put your bears to sleep?” She pinned up a photo of Pippa with a stuffed bear, “She used to have a bear too.”

Eve heard a groan followed by a splash outside. She paused her digging through a box, “Alec? You alright?”

Outside, Alec lifted himself out of the puddle of water that he’d collapsed into, the sound of Eve’s voice once again bringing him back to reality. “Fine,” he answered her as he quickly pulled his packet of pills out of his pockets. Taking one with the tea Eve had given to him when Ellie had begun to go through box after box. 

Eve poked her head out in concern to see him pulling on his coat, “What are you doing, grumpy?”

“I’m going for a walk.”

The redhead glanced towards the horizon where the sun was setting, “You sure? It’s getting dark.”

“I won’t be long, I promise,” he said, walking up to peck her lips. He reached up to cup her face gently in one hand, “I love you. More than anything.”

Eve smiled fondly, a little confused as to why he was being emotional all of a sudden. She reached up with her right hand to stroke his stubble covered cheek, “I love you too, Alec. Be safe. Call if you’re going to be late, yeah?”

He nods, “I will.” He leaned down to kiss her one more time before setting off on his walk. Eve watching worriedly as he went.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Jocelyn was pouring over notes with her glasses on when there was a very loud knock on the glass of her double doors. She started violently, pulling her glasses off as she looked up to see none other than Alec Hardy. She sighed, “Oh, for heaven’s sake! I need to put a lock on that gate.”

“You busy?” Alec asked.

She gave him a look, “Of course I’m busy. I’m in the middle of a trial! What do you want?”

“Could you do my will?” He asked weakly.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Jocelyn was hunched over her laptop at her kitchen table with Alec to her right, leaning on the table, his head resting on his hand that was closed in a fist. “Anyone would think I was a high-street solicitor.”

“It’s not exactly complicated,” Alec said, rubbing the back of his head.

“So, fifty percent of you pension and all your personal effects to Miss Smith. Everything else to your daughter. Held till she is 18. Hm, lucky girl,” Jocelyn recounted. 

“You got kids?” Alec asked curiously.

She shook her head, “Never married.”

“That through choice?”

Jocelyn glanced at him with a slight chuckle, “What is this, a police interview?”

“No. Sorry. Just conversation,” he replied honestly.

Jocelyn was mildly surprised. “Well... things were complicated, and I made... I made them more so. I was at a point when I... when I should have been strong, and I wasn’t, and I missed the person I was supposed to be with.”

“Did you ever tell him?”

She looked back at her laptop, “No.”

“Maybe you should,” Alec remarked, thinking of how much he would’ve regretted it if he hadn’t taken a shot with Eve. Life was too short for regrets like that. He still wanted to see Daisy become into the fine young woman he was convinced that she would be. He wanted to marry Eve with every fiber of his being, and maybe possibly have children with her if she was willing to bear them. He wanted to solve Sandbrook, the case that had haunted him for two years. He just wanted to have as long and as happy a life as he could.

“It’s always easy to recognize mistakes in hindsight. Much harder to fix them now. Anyway, why do you... why do you need this now?” Jocelyn asked curiously.

“Just putting things right,” he said. “What’s your sense of the trial?”

She sat up straighter, “Susan Wright was a mistake for the defense. It makes them look like amateurs. Not going into the witness box is going to damage Miller’s credibility. Eve may have been able to get the confession back in, but the jury still witnessed it being excluded.”

“He has got to be convicted,” Alec emphasized.

“I don’t need you to tell me that! I’ll do the best I can with what I have.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The sun was beginning to rise when Alec made his way home. When he stepped into his house, his whole living room was in disarray, papers pinned up all over the walls, files spread out on the floor, and boxes strewn about. Ellie poked her head up from the floor like a pop-goes-the-weasel toy, and started to speak to him rapidly, “Shh!” She pointed to something on the wall, “Did you see this scribbled on the back of an old vehicle check form? Thorp AgriServices. What’s that? Have you come across that before? And next to it, Gary Thorp, dash, Lee Ashworth, question mark.”

“Have you been here all night?” Alec asked, baffled. 

“Yeah, I suppose I have,” Ellie responded dubiously. She pointed towards the bedroom, “Fred is asleep next door with Eve. Shh!”

“I need a cup of tea,” Alec groaned.

Before he could enter the kitchen, Ellie, her voice dripping in embarrassment, told him, “Ah, you’re out of teabags and milk, and I’ve used the last of the bread.”

Alec just shook his head, taking his coat off and tossing it next to Iris on the couch. He stepped into the bedroom, and paused when he saw Eve dressed in a pair of leggings and his grey t-shirt, laying on his side of the bed, limbs strewn about in a starfish shape, while Freddie cuddled against her side. Alec pulled out his phone to take a quick photo before going sit down carefully on the edge of the bed next to Eve’s leg. 

He gently put his hand on arm, gripping it before it could come up to  wack him in the face as Eve startled from the unexpected contact. 

Eve blinked blearily at him, lifting her left arm slowly to rub her eyes, “You were supposed to call. I got worried.”

Alec brushed red curls out of her face. “I know. I’m sorry, got a bit aimless,” he whispered. 

She sat up, raising an eyebrow at him, “You were aimless all night?”

“I’m  gonna do it,” he told her. 

Eve frowned in confusion, “Love... I just woke up and haven’t had coffee. I’m  gonna need a bit more than that.”

“The pacemaker, Evelyn,” Alec supplied. 

Her eyes widen as her right hand comes to rest above his heart, “You sure?”

Alec nodded, leaning down to kiss her softly before resting his forehead against her, “Want to have a long and happy life with you, and the pacemaker is the only way to ensure that.”

Eve’s hand comes up to cup his cheek, “Oh, Alec. I love you.”

Alec kiss her again, “I bloody love you too, Evelyn.”

Eve giggled softly before she nodded towards the living room, “How badly did Ellie mess up my feng shui?”

“You don’t even want to know,” Alec warned her.


	28. Thorp Agriservices

”I couldn’t find any note of Thor AgriServices ever being cross-checked,” Ellie remarked as the detectives walked along the cliffs, Alec pushing Fred’s stroller while Eve had her arm linked with his, and her head on his shoulder. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it,” Alec said.

“Eve went through the stuff Lee Ashworth gave you. It’s all useless or irrelevant.”

“Which was  kinda to be expected,” Eve chimed in, taking a sip from the coffee cup in her hand. “Although, I did try to give him credit where credits do, but I went through everything like four times, and couldn’t find anything helpful, or that we didn’t already know.”

“He’s just trying to put us off the scent,” Alec remarked.

“How far did you ever look into Lisa Newbery?” Ellie asks.

Alec looked over at her,” How do you mean?”

“The last use of Lisa’s bank account was at 3:54 P.M. on the day she disappeared before she went to babysit. The last call was made at 5:17 P.M. on her mobile to her mum. Then, no more cash withdrawals or calls made after that, but her phone was on for another 18 hours. The last signal triangulated in Portsmouth. How did her phone get to Portsmouth? Were any of our suspects near Portsmouth then?”

“No, we checked. We know all this,” Alec replied tiredly with a shake of his head.

“Okay, here’s a thing. Lisa killed Pippa by accident,” Ellie theorized. “Got rid of the body and went on the run. She did that and she’s still alive. You’ve both got to admit, it’s a possibility.”

Both Eve and Alec were silent as they thought about it. 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Hello, Mr. Carter,” Sharon greeted sarcastically. “Was anyone with you that night?”

Nigel shook his head, “No.”

“Did anyone see you?” she asked.

“No.”

Sharon raised an eyebrow, “So, nobody can corroborate your story?”

“Only the pheasants I poached,” he joked.

“Is this funny to you, Mr. Carter,” Sharon reprimanded.

Nigel sobered, shaking his head, “Not at all.”

Sharon hummed, “Your own mother identified you with Danny’s body, didn’t she?”

“If I killed Danny, then where’s my DNA on him, eh? Where are my prints at the hut?” Nigel argued.

“Who said you killed him?” Sharon asked. “I’m not suggesting you killed Danny. I am suggesting that you put his body on the beach where Susan Wright saw you. Isn’t that correct?”

“No!” he protested.

“Thank you,” Susan said smugly.

“Mate...” Nigel breathed, looking at Mark in the public gallery.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was in the shower, trying to see if the hot water would work out the stiffness in her shoulder, and Alec was looking over some of the work that she and Ellie had done the night before. His phone rang, and he was surprised to see it was Lee Ashworth, “What?”

“Did you tell Ricky Gillespie where I was working?” Lee asked.

“No, why?”

“Because he’s come for me,” Lee told him before hanging up.

“Shit!” Alec muttered as he quickly went to stick his head in the bathroom, “I’ll be back in a few, Evelyn. Ricky found Lee.”

Eve ripped the shower curtain back, before wrapping it around herself as if Alec hadn’t seen her naked body before, “He what?” She went to grab a towel, “I’ll go with you.”

He shook his head, “There’s no time. Just stay here. Finish your shower, you still have conditioner in your hair.”

Eve pulled a strand of her curls into her face to see that he was right. She sighs, dropping the strand, “Alright. Just be careful, yeah?”

He nodded, pecking her lips quickly, “I will. Be right back.”

“Love you!” Eve called as he bolted out of the bathroom.

“Love you too!” She heard him call distantly.

Eve turned to look at Iris, who was sitting on top of the toilet seat, “He’s a dumbo, but we love him anyway.”

Iris wagged her tail at the mention of Alec.

Eve nodded in agreement, “Yeah. Yeah, we do.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec had gotten a taxi, rushing out to where Lee was staying on the farmer’s land that he was building the fence for. He got there just in time to see Ricky had Lee on the ground, and was beating the hell out of him, punching him repeatedly in the face.”

“Oh, shit!” Alec cursed as he rushed over to them. “Ricky, get off him! Ricky!” Ricky didn’t stop until Alec had grabbed him and pulled him off of Lee. “Get off him. Come on! Do you think that will help?”

“I got what I came for,” Ricky spat. He went to walk off, but bent over Lee, pointing at him, “You’re nothing!”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Are you going to report it?” Alec asked later as Lee cleaned himself up by the old stone tower that was further up the hill. 

“No, what’s the point?” Lee retorted.

“Is this where you’re sleeping?” Alec  questioned , seeing blankets inside the tower.

Lee shrugged, “The farmer said I could.” He looked at the tower, “I quite like it.”

“I hear you saw Claire,” Alec told him, sitting on the ground, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Did you?” Lee countered nonchalantly.

“You two ever use Rohypnol?”

Lee paused his motion to clean his busted lip, “Once.”

“Where did you get it from?” Alec questioned.

Lee paused again, “Ricky Gillespie. He used to go to Amsterdam, bring back all sorts of stuff.” Lee sat down in one of the  entrances to the tower.

Alec was taken a back, “Ricky gave you Rohypnol?”

Lee nodded, “He did.”

“Have you ever heard of a business called Thorp AgriServices?” Alec asked, changing subjects.

“No.”

“You sure about that?” Alec probed.

Lee shrugged, “Unless it was one of the businesses Cate did the books for.” He stood up, walking forwards a little.

There was a pregnant pause before Alec asked, “Did you ever sleep with Cate?”

Lee looked off into the distance, his back to Alec, “...No.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie led Eve and Alec through the work that had been done last night, the evidence of which was tacked up on their wall. “Thorp AgriServices. I googled it, it’s a business in the Sandbrook area five miles from the  Gillespies house. We need to go back there to visit this AgriServices place. We could see where you found Pippa and the woods by the river. Fresh eyes, that’s what you wanted.”

Alec was about to agree when Lucy rushed in, “There you are! Don’t you answer your phone? I’ve been looking all over for you. Eve’s brother said you’d be here.” Lucy paused, looking at the severe disarray of the room, “What the hell is all that stuff?”

Alec put a hand on Eve’s lower back. “Oh, excuse me. This is our house!” He protested.

“What do you want, Luce?” Ellie asked, ushering her outside. 

“I just want you to know I didn’t know he’d done it,” Lucy started defensively.

“Didn’t know he’d done what?” Ellie asked, dreading the answer.

“Tom is going to give evidence on behalf of Joe,” Lucy revealed.

“What?” Ellie gasped.

“He went to see Joe’s legal team without my knowing,” she explained.

“He can’t do that without my permission, can he?” Ellie questioned.

Lucy just shrugged, “Apparently, he can. I tried to talk him out of it, but he’s dead set on it, El.”

Ellie turned away from her.

“El...” Lucy called softly, reaching out for her sister, who jerked away.

“Oh, just go away, Luce, go away.” Lucy did just that, shutting the gate behind her.

Alec and Eve stepped out from where they had been listening at the door. Alec went to put a comforting hand on Ellie’s shoulder, but she shrugged him off. She did; however, allow Eve to give her arm a gently pat.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”So, Lisa’s phone in Portsmouth,” Ellie narrated her thoughts as the trip drove all the way out to Portsmouth. “What do you do in Portsmouth apart from being in the navy or looking at ships?”

“Go on, dazzle me,” Alec goaded.

“You get a ferry to France. Portsmouth to Cherbourg.”

“So?”

Eve giggled when he didn’t quite catch on. She leaned forwards in the backseat, “Lee Ashworth was in France.”

Alec sighed.

“Exactly,” Ellie said as they drove up to the Thorp AgriServices building, which looked completely abandoned. “Okay, this is the place.”

“What is it they do?” Alec asked as the three of them got out of the car, making their way to the heavily rusted building.

“Services to the agricultural industries. I couldn’t find anything more specific than that,” Ellie explained as they opened a creaking door. 

“It doesn’t seem like the kind of place Lee Ashworth would be connected to,” Alec remarked as Eve pulled a torch out of her coat, so that they could see in the darkness of the building, which she was sure would greet them.

“So, what is he not telling us?” Ellie poised. 

“Maybe it’s not him that’s connected to it,” Eve muttered distractedly, looking around. “Ricky does  contract work, maybe he did something for them.”

Both Alec and Ellie nodded, having not thought of that.

“It looks pretty closed. It must have gone out of business,” Ellie commented.

“Let’s look round the back,” Alec suggested.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Only one of the numerous light switches that Alec tried actually worked, so Eve switched on her torch, shining it about as Alec held the door open for her and Ellie. 

“Are you going to talk to Tom before he gets in the box?” Alec asked Ellie curiously.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ellie said, shutting him down.

Eve was the first one to step into the backroom and gagged, bending over at the rotten smell, “Oh, God.” She covered her nose with her arm as Alec and Ellie walked into the back room. 

Alec reached up to cover his nose as well while Ellie’s face scrunched up in  disgust , “Uh,  what’s that smell?”

“If I had to guess I’d say ‘services to the agricultural industries,’” Eve proposed.

Ellie groaned as they looked around. She noticed a red stain on one of the plastic flaps that surrounded them, “It’s blood.” 

Eve nodded, looking at the hooks and chains hanging from the ceiling, “Agricultural services. Animals.”

In the center of the backroom was a large metal contraption, “What is that?” Ellie asked, walking closer and noticing a lever on the side of the machine, “Oh, look, here you go.”

Eve took one glance at it, “It’s a furnace. Agricultural services, they burned dead animals.”

She went to help Ellie, pull the lever, her face scrunching in pain as she used both her arms to pull. The lever finally gave, and the door on the machine lifted, creaking as it went. 

Their eyes widened when they saw a pile of ashes.

Alec glanced at Ellie as Eve reached out for his hand, “You still think Lisa Newbery is alive?”


	29. Pacemaker

Alec was lost in memories of finding Pippa’s body in the river as he showed it to Eve and Ellie. Eve rubbed his back gently as he gestured to their surroundings, “There’s a narrow lane about 500 yards in that direction. This footpath and the lane were both examined by forensics for tire tracks and footmarks, but they never got anything useful.”

“You said it had been raining. There wouldn’t be. The ground would’ve been too muddy,” Eve pointed out.

“It’s a long way to carry a body without being noticed, “Ellie observed, hands in the pockets of her bright orange jacket.

“This stretch was never used much, even by the dog walkers,” he told them.

“So, the killer had enough local knowledge to realize the chances of being spotter were low?”

Alec nodded, “Other access points are through those woods there.”

Ellie checked her watch as Eve very carefully leaned over to stick her hand in the river. She closed her eyes as the water ran between her fingers. 

Alec looked at Eve in confusion, but turned to Ellie, “What time is Tom due in the box?”

Ellie just sighs.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”We could’ve gotten back in time,” Alec mentioned as they trekked through the woods, catching Eve as she tripped on a tree root. “Let Evelyn drive we’d have even been early.”

Ellie averted her eyes, “Tom said if I was there, he’d ask from the witness box for me to be removed.”

Eve reached out to rub Ellie’s back as Alec murmured, “God, I’m sorry.”

They were silent for a moment, then Ellie asked Alec, “Are you alright?”

Alec was looking around with a haunted expression, “I walked through here just before I found Pippa.”

Eve was once again squatting down to feel the ground. Ellie’s curiosity had finally gotten the better of her, “Okay, what are you doing?” She grimaced when Eve stuck some dirt in her mouth.

Eve looked up at them as she rubbed dirt between her fingers, “Well... Timelords can see all of time, right? It’s a long shot considering I’ve never done it before, but I’m trying to look at the history of this place. Not having much luck though.”

“And the dirt?”

Eve held up a finger as she turned to Alec, “How far are we from where the  Gillespies live?”

Alec thought about it, “Er... just over three miles.”

“And you think Pippa’s body could have been brought through here?” Eve asked for confirmation.

“That’s what I always thought, but it was impossible to know,” He told her. “I was spring-”

“So, this whole area was covered in bluebells,” Eve finished.

“Yeah. How’d you know that?” Alec asked in confusion. She could’ve gotten it from the files, but she looked like a lightbulb had gone off in her head.

Eve held up the dirt, “There’s traces of Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Bluebells.” She stood up. “Claire Ripley is being sent bluebells through the post,” Eve reminded.

“Or she’s sending them to herself,” Alec theorized. “Hiding it in a wardrobe in a guest room, where it might be found.”

“Why would she do that?” Ellie asked.

“To screw around with us,” Alec sniped. “It’s what they all do, her and Ashworth, even the Gillespies. I don’t think any one of them has ever told the whole truth,” he said in frustration.

“The stress they’ve put you under, do it to them, and start with Claire,” Ellie suggested as her phone beeped in her purse. She pulled it out, and sighed, “It’s from Lucy. Tom’s going in the witness box.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Do you get along with your dad, Tom?” Sharon asked curtly.

Tom stared longingly at Joe, “I love him.”

“Has he ever made you do anything that made you feel uncomfortable?”

“No.”

“Were you aware of any contact between Danny and your dad?” Sharon interrogated.

“No. Danny was my friend, not his,” Tom argued.

“The day Danny’s body was found;  how did your dad behave?”

Tom shrugged, “Normally. I got home from school and he made me tea.”

“How was he the days after?”

“He was upset... like we all  were, “ Tom clarified.

“Now, how did you get to know Susan Wright?” Sharon asked to the confusion of everyone. 

Tom looked confused as well, “Er... Right, I met her in the arcade. I liked her dog, Vince. She let me visit her caravan.”

“Have you ever met anyone else in that caravan?”

Mark tensed, leaning over to his wife, “Beth, listen...”

However, the Judge gave him a silencing look, and he went silent as Tom answered, “Yes. Danny’s Dad, Mark.”

Beth looked at her husband in shock, “What’s he talking about?”

“Nothing,” Mark whispered.

“He said that... we could meet, and other people don’t have to know,” Tom explained, making it sound as if it was parallel to what Joe did with Danny.

“What did you do with Mark?” Sharon asked.

Tom shrugged, “We played FIFA on the  PlayStation .”

“Did you ever talk about Danny?”

“Yes. He said he was guilty,” Tom revealed.

“Guilty of what?” she asked for  clarification .

Tom glanced between Mark and Joe, “He said... Danny’s death was his fault.”

“What?” Mark whispered in disbelief.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec held the phone to his ear as Claire answered, “Hello?”

“It’s me,” Alec greeted in a clipped tone. “I think we are done.”

“What?” she asked in confusion.

“I was protecting you from Lee, you don’t want that anymore,” he told her. “You keep changing your story about what happened. This isn’t working, I need you to move out.”

“Alec, where are you? Let’s talk about this face-to-face,” Claire suggested desperately.

“No, I’m giving you 48 hours.”

“What’s going on? Did Eve put you up to this? You can’t do that!” Claire yelled.

“I can.  It's over, Claire. Okay?” He didn’t wait for her reply as he hung up. He looked back to see Eve and Ellie looked at him proudly.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Tom , you know, don’t you, that when someone is found guilty of murder they go to prison for a number of years?” Jocelyn asked with a soft smile and gentle voice.

“Yes,” Tom said.

“You love your Dad very much, don’t you?” She asked with a smile.

“He’s a great Dad.”

“But you know that telling lies, event to protect someone you love, is wrong?”

Tom frowned, “I’m not lying for my Dad.”

“Tom, I’m suggesting that that’s exactly what you are doing,” Jocelyn told him softly.

He shook his head, “No.”

“Mark Latimer didn’t say he killed Danny, did he?”

“He said he was guilty,” Tom insisted, whimpering.

“Did he say he ‘was’ guilty, or he ‘felt’ guilty? There’s a big difference,” She asked him to  clarify . 

“My Dad wouldn’t have killed Danny,” Tom emphasized, not answering her question.

Jocelyn nodded, “So, let me ask you... has every single word you’ve said to this court been absolutely, 100% true? Tom?”

Tom averted his eyes, “I think so.”

Jocelyn frowned as gently as she possibly could, “I’m sorry, ‘I think so’ isn’t good enough. The court needs you to be certain. This isn’t about your Dad. This is about your friend Danny, because Danny can’t speak up for himself any more. So, our job is to find out what Danny would say if he was here. You see that, don’t you, Tom?”

“Yes,” he whimpered.

“We all want justice for Danny. So, let me ask you again. Has every word you’ve said here been 100% true? Did Mark Latimer say he ‘was’ guilty?” Jocelyn repeated.

Tom was silent for a few  moments , eyes flicking around the room. Finally, he whispered, “No. I’m sorry.” His voice cracked.

Jocelyn gave him a soft smile, “Thank you, Tom.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec glanced around the diner that he’d met Tess in nervously, “I just want the details of the stalker that was seen around the estate in the week before the girls disappeared.”

Tess grinned, pulling out a flash drive, handing it to him, “And against my better judgement I put all the statements, four sightings in the week before, on here.”

“Thank you,” he accepted it, putting it in his pocket. “Plus, all CCTV collected from the case, and there’s a company, Thorp AgriServices. If we could send a forensics team-”

“Uh-uh. Stop,” Tess cut him off, and he suddenly remembered who he was talking  to. Tess wasn’t as eager to solve this as Eve. “No forensics teams, nothing official. I’m pushing as it is. Don’t drop me in it.”

Alec nodded, averting his eyes, “Er... I’m going into hospital tomorrow, pacemaker.”

Tess’ face dropped, “Bloody hell. Are you alright with that?”

“If anything happens, I’ve made a will.”

“You are worried,” she realized. “Have you told Eve that you’re worried? Have you told Daisy?”

Alec was mildly surprised that Tess sounded concerned about if he’d shared his feelings with Eve or not, but he nodded, “They both know. Eve is going to keep her updated the whole time, and... take care of things if something should happen.”

Tess breathed heavily with wide eyes, “You two are really truly serious, aren’t you? Despite her episode when we first met, she seemed like a very devoted woman. Daisy wouldn’t stop talking about her after dinner.”

Alec couldn’t help the smile that came to his face, “Um... If everything goes well tomorrow... I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

Tess gasped, “You what?”

Alec shrugged, “I love her, Tess. I’d get down on one knee right now if I didn’t have it all planned out already. It’s time. Eve’s... she’s the person I’m meant to be with.” 

Tess smiled sadly, “I’m happy for you. Really.” She cleared her  throat, "Well ...er... good luck then. I’m sure she’ll say ‘yes.’”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Right, these are the accounts for the last seven years,” Ricky said as Eve, Ellie, and Cate sat in the living room of the  Gillespies house, dropping a pile of binders on the coffee table.

Ellie thanked him as Eve began to look through them. She turned to Cate, “Oh, do you remember every doing any work for a company called Thorp AgriServices?”

“I don’t think so,” the woman mumbled, taking a sip from the glass of wine in her hand.

Ricky scoffed, “I’m surprised you remember anything, the amount of that you put away.”

Cate glared at him, “Are you still here?”

Feeling the tension, Ellie pointed and grabbed picture of Pippa that was on the side table. “Oh, that’s a beautiful picture.”

Cate smiled sadly, “It’s my favorite one of her.”

Eve looked over at the picture, and pointed to the pendant that Pippa was wearing in it, “And that pendant, is that the one that was found in Ashworth’s car, the missing bit of evidence?”

“Yeah,” Ricky said. 

Knocking on the back door, startled the four of them, and they looked over to see Alec, “The side gate was open. Sorry, I got a bit delayed.”

Eve stood giving him a playful glare, “I’m getting you a bell. You do that to me all the time.”

He looked at her apologetically. 

Ellie stood as well, waving him off, “Ah. Don’t worry. We were just about to... go outside anyway.”

The three of them walked into the backyard, and Ellie pulled out her phone, sighing, “No texts, Lucy’s not answering her phone, and Olly’s not tweeting court updates.”

“Well, maybe the court’s still sitting,” Alec told her. 

Eve nodded as she looked around, standing on her tip toes, but she still couldn’t see over the fence, “He’s right. Maybe there is nothing to know just yet.”

“I need to get back. I need to know what’s happened,” Ellie murmured.

“Did you two ask Cate about Thorp AgriServices?” Alec asked, distracting her.

“Yeah, she denied all knowledge.” She watched as Alec walked over to the side of the fence that Eve was standing by. He gently pulled her away, and felt along the wood. “What are you doing?” Ellie asked as Eve pointed to a break in the fence. Alec pushed on the spot, and the fence gave way, opening like a door. Ellie’s eyes widened, “Do all the gardens have those?”

“No, it was put in by Lee Ashworth, with Ricky and Cate’s approval,” Alec told her, looking around the Ashworth’s old backyard. “Why did they never have it removed?”

“It’s for kids to go in and out of each other’s gardens, not grown-ups,” Ellie observed as Alec stepped back into the  Gillespies backyard, closing the gate. “Lee and Claire didn’t have any kids. Why have they got that?”

Eve shook her head, “I don’t know, but there’s clearly more to the picture than what we’ve been given.”

The three of them felt eyes on them, and they turned to see Cate standing in the doorway, just staring at them with a glass of wine in her hand.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Mr. Latimer, how well do you know Nigel Carter?” Jocelyn asked, jumping right in oncer Mark had given his affirmation.

“Very well. He’s worked with me four years now,” Mark answered.

“Do you trust him?”

Mark nodded without an ounce of hesitation, “With my life, and my son’s life.”

Jocelyn nodded along, “So, what do you say to the accusation that Susan Wright saw Nigel Carter carrying your son’s body the night of his death?”

Mark almost scowled, “She’s obviously got two bald blokes mixed up, ‘ coe it wasn’t Nige.”

“Since Danny’s death, have you been meeting Tom Miller?” Jocelyn changed directions.

“Yeah. I have,” Mark admitted. “I was trying to help him through this, but I should have thought it through a bit more. It... it looks a bit odd.”

“Did you tell Tom Miller... that you were guilty of killing your son?” Jocelyn questioned.

Mark shook his head, “No. I said I ‘felt’ guilty... because I wasn’t there for Dan.”

“Where were you on the night of your son’s death, Mr. Latimer?”

Mark paused, looking at Becca Fisher in the public gallery, “I was with Becca Fisher, the owner of the Trader’s Hotel.”

“Were you having an affair?”

“No. It was the first time anything had... happened.”

“Did you have sex that night?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“In her car.”

“Then what did you do?”

“Then she drove me back to the cliff-top car park. I picked up my car, and... we went our separate ways,” Mark explained.

“And did you go home immediately?”

Mark shook his head, “No, it was... about an hour, an hour and a half later.”

“Where did you go during that time?” Mark averted his eyes. “Mr. Latimer, where were you?”

Mark took a deep breath, “I drove through the vale, and I parked up on the hill. I started writing this, I dunno, note, letter.”

“A letter to whom?” Jocelyn asked in confusion. 

Mark was silent for a moment. “To Beth, my wife.”

“Why would you be writing a letter to your wife at that time of the morning?”

“I was saying it was over,” Mark revealed with tears in his eyes. “That I’d met someone else, that our marriage was done. I’d gone a bit mad. I was like... like a kid of 14, giddy with a fling. I’m not proud.”

Beth couldn’t take it anymore, and bolted out of her seat and out of courtroom. Both Eve and Ellie were quick to follow after her, catching up to her as she collapsed in the stairwell, leaning against the glass of the  window next to her, sobbing loudly. 

Eve wrapped her left arm around Beth with a grimace, “Shh. It’s alright, Beth. It’s alright.” She and Ellie gently pulled the woman to sit on the ground. 

Ellie wrapped both arms around Beth, “Come on, Beth. Come here. Beth, come on. Come here. Come here. It’s alright. It’s alright.” Beth didn’t seem to register that she had been in a feud with Ellie as she sobbed into both women’s arms. “It’s not Mark. This is not Mark. This is Joe doing this to us. We won’t let him win, okay?”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

During recess, Beth had calmed down somewhat, and Eve quietly made her leave as Ellie continued to comfort the her. She found Alec waiting for her outside with his overnight bag in had, “How is she?”

Eve pinched the bridge of her nose, “Torn up. This was something she should have never had to hear, especially not like this.” She shook her head as she nodded in the direction of her car, “That not important right now though... you are.”

“I’ll be fine,” Alec reassured her as  they walked towards her car. 

Eve gave him a look, “Doesn’t matter what you say. I won’t stop worrying till you come out of that operating room alive and well. I don’t piss about when it comes to you, Alec.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve led the way as they walked up to the hospital, but before they walked in Alec caught her right hand, spinning her around. He could see the fear written plainly across her face. Alec pulled her in for a tight hug, “I’ll be fine. Really. I’ll have you waiting on me, and I know you’ll just bring me back and kill me yourself if I die on you.”

Eve lightly smacked his as tears welled in her eyes, “Don’t even joke about that.”

Alec pulled back with an apologetic smile, “Sorry.” He leaned down to kiss her softly. “I promise I’ll be alright,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

“You better,” she muttered.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie stormed down the stairs to where Tom and Lucy were standing around, waiting for the recess to end. Lucy saw the enraged expression on her sister’s face and tried to intercept her, “Now, El, before you say anything-”

Ellie pointed at her, “I don’t want to talk to you.” She marched right up to her son, “Sit down,” she ordered. When he didn’t listen, she shouted, “Sit down!” This startled Tom into obeying, and he sat on the bench behind him. “Do you see what you put Mark and Beth through? He wouldn’t be up there if it wasn’t for you. I know you want to protect your father, but he is a murderer and a shit, and he deserves none of your feeling for him. Look at what you ended up doing! You lied, on oath, in a court of law and I hope your ashamed! Are you?” she paused before bellowing, “ARE YOU?” when Tom didn’t answer.

“Yes. Yes, Mum,” Tom answered weakly.

Ellie sniffed loudly before speaking at a quieter volume, “You are coming home with me tonight back to the house.”

Tom shook his head, “No, we’re not ‘cos-”

“Yes, we are, because I am your bloody mother! If I have to drag you kicking and screaming, I will! Your father has done enough damage, and I will not let him destroy us too! Do you understand?” Ellie screamed at him.

“Yes, Mum,” Tom said, tearfully.

Ellie held back her own tears, “Right, that’s... good.” Then, she stalked back towards the courtroom. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

As they set up Alec in a hospital gown and a bed to prep him for surgery, Eve hovered nervously by his side, trying to remain as close to him as possible without getting in the doctor’s way. The surgeon gave her a nod, signaling that they were going to take him way now. She quickly leaned over him, gently running her fingers through his hair. Eve had tears in her eyes as she pressed a kiss to his forehead, “I’ll be right there by your side when you wake up, okay? So, do wake up. I love you, Alec.”

“I love you too, Evelyn,” he told her as they started wheeling his bed away to the operating room. 

Eve watched with tears streaming down her face as she held his overnight bag in one hand, and his coat in the other. Little did she know that inside his coat, tucked away in a pocket, was a ring, waiting patiently to be given to her.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”It’s quite a coincidence that neither you nor Nigel Carter have an alibi for around the time of your son’s death, isn’t it?” Sharon asked Mark.

“That’s the way it was,” Mark answered.

“You admit that you were at the car park next to the cliff-top hut around the time your son was killed?”

He nodded, “I was, yeah.”

“What’s the distance between the car park and the hut?”

Mark shrugged with a frown, “I don’t know, 50 Yards.”

“You were 50 yards away from where your song was killed,” Sharon clarified.

“Yes,” Mark said tightly, seeing where this was going.

“At almost exactly the time he was killed.”

Mark averted his eyes, “... Yeah.”

“So, from the hut, it’s possible that Danny could have seen you with Becca Fisher that night?” Sharon probed.

Mark took  a while to answer, and the Judge looked at him, “You need to answer, Mr. Latimer.”

“It’s possible, yeah,” He admitted reluctantly.

“Isn’t it true... that because Danny saw you with Becca that night-” Sharon began to put together a story.

“I said it was possible, not that it happened,” Mark argued, cutting her off.

Sharon went on though ,” ... that you strangled him in that cliff-top hut-”

“No.”

“... and then called your mate and colleague Nige Carter to dispose of the body-”

“None of that happened,” Mark denied.

“... who was then seen by Susan Wright.”

“No true! None of that is true!” Mark shouted.

Sharon still went on spinning her tale, “And then you arrange these strange meetings with Tom Miller because you felt guilty that his father was taking the blame.”

“I did not kill my son!” Mark shouted angrily.

She stared at him before looking at her notes, “How did you get in to see Joe Miller while he was in police custody?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Mark denied. 

“Did you bribe a police officer>”

Jocelyn stood, clearly flustered, “My Lady, this had no relevance to the evidence Mr. Latimer can give.”

“It’s fantastically relevant, My Lady,” Sharon countered mockingly.

The Judge have Jocelyn a look, “You can wait, Miss Knight.”

Jocelyn sat down shakily.

“How did you get into the cells, Mr. Latimer,” Sharon asked him sternly.

Mark bit his lip, hesitantly admitting, “The custody sergeant was an old friend. He let me in.”

“Did you go to threaten Mr. Miller to be silent? Or to gloat that he was taking the blame for a murder you’d committed?”

Mark shook his head desperately, “No, it was nothing like that.”

Sharon turned to the Judge, “My Lady, I’d like to raise a point of law.”

The Judge didn’t look at all surprised,  “I’m sure you would, Miss Bishop.” She turned to the jury, “Members of the jury, would you step out, please?”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”The investigation officers in this case have breached the PACE codes of practice time and time again. This is a fundamentally flawed investigation, littered with errors. The defense applies for a stay of proceedings on the grounds that there has been an abuse of the court’s process, such that the defendant cannot have a fair trial. My Lady, I’m asking you to dismiss this case,” Sharon requested.

Everyone was tense in the room.

The Judge patiently turned to Jocelyn, “I’ll  hear your submission now, Miss Knight.”

“I’d ask for an adjournment while we obtain statements from the relevant officers. Only then can I address whether there has been an abuse which prejudices this trial,” Jocelyn countered quickly.

The Judge looked between Jocelyn and Sharon for a few moments, thinking it over before nodding. “Alright. You have your adjournment, Miss Knight. Talk to the officer concerned and I’ll hear full arguments on it before ruling.”

Jocelyn let out a relived breath, nodding, “Thank you, my Lady.”

Ellie glanced at her phone, blinking in shock at the text she had from Alec, "What?"

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

_ Alec couldn’t help the relief that came over him when he suddenly found himself in a familiar white house instead of lying on the cliffs in the grass drowning on dry land.  _

_ He quickly whipped around to see Eve standing in the middle of the living room with a soft smile on her face. Like every other time she’d shown up in his dreams, she had on his blue jumper and a pair of black leggings. She was even barefoot like always.  _

_ She nodded towards him, “Been a while since we’ve spoken, Mon R _ áleur.”

_ He looked confused, “We were just talking a few minutes ago.” _

_ “That was real Eve. I’m just a figment of the defense systems that she left in your mind, Mon  _ _ Ráleur _ _ ,” Eve corrected.  _

_ “Are you ever going to tell me what that means?”  _

_ “I believe I told you to figure it out yourself.” _

_ “Since this is all in my mind, wouldn’t I technically be figuring it out myself,” Alec  _ _ countered _ _. _

_ Eve smirked, “Knew there was a reason she loves you so much. She’s been calling you her grumpy one all this time, love.” Then, she walked over to him, lifting a hand to his cheek, “What’ll it be, dear? Same as last time? Or would you prefer something else this time?” _

_ Alec smiled softly, “Same as last time I think.” _

_ Eve hums, “Good choice. Might take it a bit further though.” _

_ He looks at her in confusion as the room tilts dangerously as it shifts into a nursery. He looks around at the dark navy-blue walls, the tiny stars and planets that had been painted on the roof, but most importantly, he looked at Eve, who looked disheveled. Her hair was a mess, and she had dark circles under her blood shot eyes. Eve had the happiest smile on her face though as she looked down at the bundle of  _ _ cream-colored _ _ blankets in her arms. _

_ Eve beamed at him despite her clear exhaustion as she began to sway, tilting her arms slightly, so that he could see the baby in her arms, “Well, don’t just stand there, Alec. Come look at her.” _

_ Alec’s legs felt weak as he walked over to them, laying a hand on Eve’s lower back as he looked down at the little baby girl. Alec let out a shaky breath as tears welled in his eyes as he looked at her. “She’s...” he couldn’t find the words, shaking his head. It broke his heart to know that she was imaginary, and he hesitated as he reached out to brush a finger against the little girl’s chubby cheeks. The little baby girl reached up to grab his finger tightly, blinking brown eyes at it. _

_ “It thought she’d have your eyes,” Alec commented. “She’s gorgeous with or without them though.” _

_ Eve giggled, “Babies aren’t born with grey eyes, dear. I was actually born with brown eyes like my Dad, but the eventually lightened to the nice grey you see today.” She smiles, looking between the baby and him, “She’s got her Daddy’s eyes right now though.” _

_ Eve’s head suddenly shot up as the walls around them began to dissolve. She turned to Alec with an apologetic, “I’m afraid time up, love. You’re waking up. Gotta propose to me.” _

_ Alec’s eyes widen at her, “You don’t know, do you?” _

_ “Real me?” Eve asks with a raised eyebrow. “Doesn’t suspect a thing.” _

_ Alec looked reluctant to pull his finger away from his daughter’s little hand, so Eve gently pried the baby’s fingers’ away, “You’ll see her again, love. Don’t worry.” _

_ Then, she reached up to press a finger to his forehead, “Now, wake up.” _


	30. The Lite-Brite makes an Appearance

Eve was sitting in a chair to the right of Alec’s hospital bed, reading over a Sandbrook file that she had stuffed in his overnight bag when he wasn’t looking that morning. She’d been told that the surgery had gone extremely well, but she wouldn’t believe that till he woke up like he promised he would. They’d also told her that they would like to keep him overnight, but Eve knew that was more than likely not going to happen. 

Alec was beginning to wake up slightly, staring blankly at the ceiling as if that wasn’t what he was actually seeing, and muttered, “I’m alive...”

Eve had quickly thrown the file in her hands aside, leaning forwards to press a kiss to his right hand, “Yes, you are. Thank you for that.” 

“You don’t have to thank me for that,” was his unconscious response as his eyes slipped closed again and he fell asleep. Eve giggled as she was reminded of the time when he’d dragged Steve Connelly out of the Latimer house after he’d tried to manipulate Beth and insulted Eve. 

Ellie stormed in a few minutes later with a huff, “He snuck off and sent me a text.” Eve looked at her in amusement, and she sighed, “How is he then?”

“He’s fine.  Gonna be exhausted for a bit, but he’s alright,” Eve told her, leaning back in her seat, “I’m going to take a guess that court didn’t go so well after we left. Not that it was going well when we were there either.”

“Bishop made a motion to have the entire case dismissed,” Ellie growled. “Said we mishandled it.”

Eve held up hand placatingly, “The Judge isn’t that stupid. She won’t throw it out.”

Ellie sighed, “I hope you’re right like you usually are.” She brightened a little, “I’m bringing Tom home today.”

Eve clapped quietly in excitement, “Congratulations.”

“Knock, knock,” John’s voice interrupted them, as he stuck his head around the curtain, “How’s Mr. Grumpy?”

Eve beamed at him, “Recovering nicely.” She gestured between Ellie and John. “John, this is Ellie Miller. Ellie this is John, my twin brother.”

John smirked as he shook Ellie’s hand, “I’m the older twin.”

“By five minutes,” Eve reminded. “I can kick your ass any day though.”

“And don’t I know it.”

Ellie seemed to be in her own little world as she stared at John. She gulped when she realized she was staring at him, but then again... he looked quite handsome. Unlike Eve, he had brown eyes, but he had the same red hair, but his was spiked up slightly in the front like their father’s tenth regeneration’s hair. He looked rather athletic as well with very clearly defined muscles. Ellie shook her head of those thoughts. “Nice to meet you,” She greeted weakly.

Eve smirked as she looked at her brother, “What are you doing here, grease monkey?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,  Twinkie . Mum and Dad’ll be here too,” He told her smugly.

Eve shook her head in confusion as Alec began to groan as he started to wake up again. Eve shot out of her chair this time to lean over him, brushing his hair out of his face again, “Alec? You with us?”

Alec blinked his eyes open, and the first thing he saw was Eve’s beautiful grey eyes. He practically beamed at her, mumbling in shock, “I made it. I made it through!”

Eve smiled softly, “Yes. I would certainly hope so. You did promise me after all.” She sat down on the side of the bed, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” he groaned.

Eve giggled, “Kind of to be expected with this sort of thing.”

Ellie chose that moment to come into his line of sight, “A text?”

“Oh, don’t start, Miller,” Alec grunted. 

“You sneak off and send me a text, knowing my phone won’t be on in the courtroom,” She berated him.

“I’ll give you money to shut up,” he offered.

“I’ll give you more money to be less of a knob,” Ellie counters.

Eve laughs, getting three confused looks. She waves them off, “Sorry. I just remembered when Ellie threatened to piss in a cup and throw it at you.”

“Why didn’t either of you tell me?” Ellie asked with a little bit of hurt in her tone.

Alec groaned, “You’d only come and sit with Evelyn.”

Ellie scoffed, “What is wrong with you?”

Eve held up a placating hand again, “It’s him, El. Did you really not see this one coming?”

Ellie groans, “Fair enough.”

Eve’s parents having heard the whole argument, stuck their heads in hesitantly. “Hope we’re not interrupting anything,” The Doctor remarks.

Eve shakes her head, waving them in, “Nope. Just their normal bickering. Seriously, though, why are you all here? Not that Alec doesn’t appreciate the attention, I’m sure, but I feel like I’m playing catch up.”

Alec and Ellie share a look as she pulls a box that had been wrapped in navy blue paper with a silver bow. She hands it to Eve, who looks overwhelmed. “What is happening?” Eve whispers to herself, her mind running a thousand miles an hour to see what she’d missed. She takes the present, glancing at Alec  suspiciously , “This isn’t going to explode in my  face, is it?”

Alec gestured for John to hand him his coat that had been draped over a chair, then he nods to the present, “No, just open it.”

Eve looks at them all in confusion before carefully opening the present. Everyone else seemed impatient as Eve took care not to actually rip the paper. She frowned in confusion as she stared at the Lite- Brite from the 80s that was in her hands. She shook it, “What have I missed here?”

“Open it,” Alec whispered with a  mischievous look on his face. 

Eve rolls her eyes, but does as he said, opening the box to find that the different colored pegs had already been placed throughout the toy. Alec reaches forward to turn it on. Eve immediately dropped it on the floor when her brain registered what it had said, causing the pegs to scatter as her hands flew to cover her face. There was a sob behind them.

“Open your eyes,” Alec whispered, and she quickly moved her hands to find him holding out a box with a ring in it. Her hands fly back to her face as she sobs happily. Then, she dropped her hands, leaning forwards to hug Alec gently, completely bypassing the ring. 

“Oh, you always like it when the woman goes for the man before the ring,” Donna commented happily. 

Eve pulled back to kiss him gently before holding her hands out in shock, “What?” She was overwhelmed, and couldn’t quite process if this was actually happening or not.

Alec held up the ring in front of her face, “Evelyn Alexandra Smith, will you marry me?”

Eve shot forwards kissing him several times, whispering, “Yes,” over and over. She leaned back to beam at him despite the tears still making  their way down her face, “A thousand times yes.”

“Oh, God,” she breathed, wiping the tears from her face with her right hand as he carefully slips the ring onto her left ring finger. It was a thing gold band with an amethyst (her birthstone) in the shape of a star at the center. 

Eve barely waited till it was on her finger, to cup Alec’s face in her hands, leaning forward to kiss him passionately. “Oh, God,” she whispered again, still processing everything. 

However, she did turn to look at Ellie, John, and her parents, who all looked way to smug. Although, Donna and Ellie had tears in their own eyes. Eve played with the ring on her finger absentmindedly as she looked at them in shock, “You all were in on it?”

Ellie nodded, “Your  parents got the Lite- Brite directly from the 80s because they weren’t able to find the one you had as kid, John helped Alec pick out the ring, and I was to keep you off the scent.”

Eve shook her head fondly as she looked back at Alec, “How long have you been planning this?”

“Since Lee Ashworth made you take a chunk out of your head,” Alec admitted.

Eve cackled, clearly on cloud nine. Alec, her now fiancé, had survived his operation, and proposed all in the same day. She doubted anything could bring her down. 

Ellie glanced at her watch, groaning, “Damn, I’ve got to pick up Fred from Lucy’s and I’m bringing Tom home.”

The redhead smiled happily, “Go on, then! We’re fine. Over the moon even!”

Ellie nodded, “I’ll see you both tomorrow then. Congratulations.” She glanced at John, giving him a lingering look before she made her way out of the room. 

“Congrats, Twinkie,” John told his sister before rushing out after Ellie calling, “Hey! Can I get a ride back to the station?”

Eve smirked, “I have feeling that Ellie is  gonna do just fine without Joe.”

Alec hummed in agreement. Eve turned to her parents, “Are you both staying? Or are there planets to save?”

The Doctor beamed at his daughter, “There’s always planets to save, but it’s not  every day you watch your daughter get proposed to.”

“Too right,” Eve agreed. She turned to Alec knowingly, “I’ve spoken to the doctors. They recommend you stay in.”

Alec gave her a look. “Take me home,” he pleaded softly.

Eve chuckles, “I figured as much.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”I can’t be long; I’m picking up Tom again. Taking him, finally,” Ellie told Claire as she sat outside in a chair as the other woman worked on her hair.

“You must be relieved about that,” Claire replied.

Ellie smiled, “Yeah. Him, me, and Fred, home together.”

“Me and Lee are looking at houses later,” Claire mentioned.

“Really?” Ellie asked in surprise.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t we?”

Ellie glanced at the bag that was next to her right foot, “So, you kept your hairdressing stuff, then?”

“Oh, yeah. That’s my magic bag. Even when I had to leave with Alec, it was the first thing I packed. Got my portfolio, everything still in it.”

“Really? Can I see?” Ellie asked.

Claire bent over to  retrieved the book from the bag, handing it to her, “Yeah, have a look.”

Ellie flipped through it, seeing photos of hairstyles and professional photos of Claire, “Ooh. Look at you! Nice.”

“I scrub up well, don’t I?” Claire laughed.

“We were back there the other day, near your old house,” Ellie remarked.

Claire was silent for a moment, “Really?”

“Yeah. I saw the river where they found Pippa, walked through the woods. I spoke to Cate,” Ellie rambled.

“Is she still drinking?”

Ellie nodded slightly, “A bit, yeah. I assumed that was since the deaths, but was she always like that?”

“I don’t want to speak ill of her,” Claire started, “not after everything she’s been through, but she always has a posh glass of wine in her hand. Made sure you knew it was expensive.”

“Right.”

“Maybe it was because we were renting off them, but I just... always felt she was looking down on us,” Claire complained. “Well, me. Lee she just flirted with, but everybody flirts  with Lee and he just flirts right back, so...”

Ellie paused her thumbing through of Claire’s portfolio, “You don’t think... Did they ever have a thing?”

“He was never interested in her. He’s never looking to go older. Younger, maybe, but not Cate’s age,” Claire lied.

Ellie started flipping through the portfolio again, but froze when she came to a picture of Claire. She was wearing the same pendant that Pippa wore. Claire noticed the picture, and ripped the book out of Ellie’s hands, “Right, nearly finished!”

Ellie cleared her throat nervously, “Thanks.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Oi ! Take is slow,” Eve warned her father who was supporting most of Alec’s weight as she and her mother lead them through the gate to her and Alec’s house.

Her Dad snorted at the sight of the little blue house, “This is home?”

Eve nods, as she unlocked the door. “Yeah. It’s bigger on the inside, or is that only Tardis's?” she joked as a retort. She set up a lawn chair by the edge of the water as Iris ran out to paw at Alec’s foot. “Sit him down here,” Eve told her Dad.

“I can sit myself down, “Alec grumbled as he collapsed into the chair, resting his right foot against the cement side of the yard.

Donna handed Eve Alec’s coat, which she situated over his shoulders causing him to open his eyes, “Warm enough?”

“I’m fine, Evelyn,” he grunted.

Eve rolled her eyes fondly as his grumpiness as she turned to her parents, “Thanks for helping me get him home. Think I’ve got it from here.”

Donna beamed, throwing her arms around her daughter, “Oh, congratulations!”

Eve chuckled, hugging her back, “Thanks.” 

She’s pulled into a side hug by her Dad, “If he becomes a troublesome  patient, you call me.”

Eve winked, “I’ll just whip him with a car antennae.”

“She would too,” Alec chimes in. “Threw her car keys at me once.”

Eve raised an eyebrow, “You wanted the car keys.”

He hums as Eve leads her parents out through the gate. As the redhead walked back over to him, she pulled a pill bottle from her own coat pocket along with a glass of water, and his brain had trouble figuring out how that worked. She handed him two pills, “Right, two of these.”

He  dry swallowed them, and she held out the glass of water for him, which he took a sip from. 

Eve sat down on the cement across from him, giving him a warning look, “You’re going to do as I say for once and rest tonight, or I will not hesitate to cuff you to the be."

“Are you my nurse now?” he joked.

Eve smirked, “You’re picturing me in one of those slutty nurse outfits, aren’t you?”

He shook his head with a smirk, “No. Never.” 

“Uh-huh,” Eve says as her phone rings. Eve smiled at him, pulling it out of her pocket. She beamed at him, “It’s your daughter.” She holds it up to her ear, answering it, “Hello, Miss Daisy... yeah, I’m with him... Pretty shit... No, much worse than normal.”

Alec shook his head in  exasperation . 

Eve winked at him, holding out her phone, “She wants to speak to you.”

He set down the glass of water in his right hand, before gesturing for the phone. Eve handed it to him, gesturing towards the house, “Do you need me to...”

He shook his head as he held the phone to his ear, “Hi, darlin’.”

Eve sighed happily, leaning back on the cement with her right arm. She could watch him interact with Daisy all day long. It was the only other time besides when he was alone with her that his guard came down. 

“Fine,” he assured Daisy. “No, just a little bit of metal. It’s the first step to being the Six Million Dollar Man...” he paused making a face. “What do you mean you’ve never heard of the Six Million... What do you they teach you at that school?”

Eve cackled.

“Yeah, it’s all fixed...” he paused now with a loving smile, “No more broken heart.” His eyes flicked up to Eve, “Oh, I think Evelyn played a large part in that.”

Eve had the same loving smile on her face as she stood, leaning down to drop a kiss on the top of his head before heading into the house to make a cup of tea. Iris followed after her, and she set about feeding and giving her water while the kettle boiled. 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was late when, Eve helped Alec into his pajamas, and then into bed. She followed suit throwing on a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top, climbing into bed next to him as Iris jumped up to lay at the foot of the bed. She took extra care than normal when she settled in resting her head on Alec’s chest, her left arm  slinging around his waist. 

Alec lifted her left hand with his right, taking the ring off her finger. Eve’s head popped up in alarm, “What are you doing?”

“Shh,” he whispered as he maneuvered it in the light, “I forgot to show you, but I got it engraved.”

“Oh,” Eve breathed in relief. She reached for the ring, turning it slightly, so that the inside of the gold band caught the moonlight streaming in from the windows just right to make out the words ‘You are my heart’ etched into the gold. Tears welled in Eve’s eyes, “Oh, Alec.”

He smiled lovingly at her as he took the ring back, slipping it back onto her left ring finger. Eve sat up a bit to kiss him, whispering, “I love you. You are my heart as well, or I suppose hearts in this case.” 

She laid back down with her head in its normal spot on his chest. His left arm weakly wrapped around her as he kissed the top of her head, “I bloody love you too.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”No evidence was compromised, no physical intimidation occurred,” Jocelyn testified. “We have a sworn statement from the officer who was present. My Lady, it was an unfortunate incident, but the process of justice can still flow. This doesn’t mean the defendant cannot have a fair trial.”

The Judge thought for a moment, processing what she had heard. “There have clearly been failings in this investigation and in the conduct of officers, but I am satisfied that the defendant can indeed get a fair trial. So, I’m going to refuse the application.”

The relief was palpable in the room

“Thank you, my Lady.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was sitting up in bed next to Alec, who was still fast asleep, with a file in her hand. She pulled her black cardigan tighter around herself when a breeze from the open door entered the bedroom. She glanced up from the file when Alec’s phone rang on the nightstand. She leaned over quickly for it, ducking out into the living room to answer it, “Hello?”

“Oh. I was expecting him to answer,” Ellie said in surprise.

Eve glanced into the bedroom at Alec, “Alas, he’s still sleeping. What’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to be in court still?”

“No, it didn’t take as long as I thought,” Ellie explained. “The trial’s still on.”

The redhead sighed in relief, “Oh, thank God.”

“Listen, can you pass something on to him?” Ellie requested. “Perhaps call Tess and let her know as well. She’s the one who can officially reopen the case.”

Eve nodded, leaning against the entryway to the bedroom, watching Alec sleep, “Of course, I can. What’s up?”

“Claire Ripley showed me a photograph. She was wearing Pippa’s pendant,” Ellie revealed.

“The smoking gun,” Eve breathed. “You’re  gonna have to get your hands on that picture. Did she see that you noticed it?”

“I don’t know,” Ellie said. “It’s in her portfolio be at the cottage.”

Eve sighed heavily, “Alright. Come by later, yeah? We can make a plan when Alec is awake.”

“Okay. See you later, then. Give him my love.”

“Course,” Eve smiled before she hung up the phone. Running a hand down her face in exhaustion. 

Then, she went  through Alec’s phone, dialing  Tess’ number when she found it.

“Alec? Are you alright?” Tess asked sounding worried.

“It’s Eve, actually,” Eve told her. “Didn’t mean to scare you like that. Alec’s fine. Just sleeping. You know, recovering.”

Tess sighed in relief, “That’s good. Daisy said that he’d sounded a lot better than normal over the phone. She’s talking about visiting soon to see for herself.”

Eve smiled, “Well... the door always open for her. Alec would absolutely love to see her. I could probably show her around Broadchurch. Not much to do besides the beach though. It’s rather nice, but Alec would say otherwise. Hates sand, that one does.”

Tess laughed, “That he does. I’ll discuss it with him later, see if we can set something up.”

“Sounds good to me, but...” Eve paused. “That’s not why I’m calling. Ellie wanted me to pass on a message. She was going through Claire’s hairdressing portfolio, and found a photo of Claire wearing Pippa’s pendant. The smoking gun.”

“Can she get a hold of it?” Tess asked quietly.

Eve shrugged, wincing at the throb in her left shoulder, “We’re going to make a plan later if you want to come down.”

“I’ll be there.”


	31. Pieces of the Puzzle

When Eve had begun to see letters after leafing through at least 20 case files since she’d woke up that morning, she decided to take a break on Sandbrook and was putting the Lite-Brite that Alec had used to propose to her back together. She was just finishing up when a bark from Iris alerted her to Tess peaking her head in the door.

Eve smiled, waving the other woman in, who looked between her and Lite- Brite in confusion, “What exactly are you doing with a Lite- Brite , if you don’t  mind me asking?”

Eve blushed, “I got bored waiting for Alec to wake up, so I decided to put the Lite- Brite that he used when he proposed to me back together. I dropped it and all the pegs fell out.” She turned it on to show Tess the message that read, ‘Will you marry me?’

Tess chuckled, “He  proposed with a toy?”

Eve shook her head fondly, “Don’t ask me why.”

“Can I see the ring?” Tess asked curiously.

Eve eagerly showed the woman the ring on her left hand. Tess examined it like it was a piece of evidence, turning the redhead’s hand every which way. “Why an amethyst?”

“It’s my birthstone,” Eve told her as she pulled her hand back, the thumb on her left hand beginning to spin the ring slowly back and forth. 

The other woman nodded before looking at Alec in the bedroom, “How is he?”

Eve turned to glance at Alec, “He’s doing swimmingly. We should let him wake up on his own volition though. Ellie’s on her way over.” She stood up, nodding towards the kitchen, “Cup of tea?”

“I can get it,” Tess offered. “I’m sure that big ol’ lump has been difficult to look after.”

Eve laughed softly as she followed her into the kitchen, “On the contrary, he knows better than to disobey. He’d be cuffed to the bed if he didn’t.” Eve frowns, “I’m just glad he’s here, and he’s doing much better. It was my biggest fear for a long time now that he’d...” She shook her head as she accepted the mug of tea that Tess handed her.

“I think he knew who he had waiting for him when he woke up,” Tess said quietly, trying to comfort the woman. 

Eve nodded, “Yeah.”

“Um...” Tess started awkwardly. “I know we started out on the wrong foot, but um... I’ve seen you in other situations, seen you with Alec, and with Daisy, seen how protective you are, and um... I guess what I’m trying to say is that if anyone had to be Daisy’s future Stepmother... I’m glad it was you.”

Eve’s eyes widened, “Oh, uh... Thank you.” She looked at the woman seriously, “I hope you know that I’m not trying to replace you in any way, shape, or form. Yes, I’m marrying Alec, which means that I become intimately involved in every aspect of his life, and I would love to have a relationship with Daisy, but what that relationship is like is completely up to her. If she sees me as a second mother, then that’s fine. If she just she’s me as a friend and a confidant, then that’s fine too. I’m not making it my mission to replace you though.”

Tess nodded slowly, “Thank you, I think I need that a little. I think we both had some territory issues when we first met each other, but I’d like to be friends with you as well, especially considering that we are going to be seeing a lot more of each other. If you’re willing to, of course?”

Eve smiled, “I’d like that.” She held out her hand, “Truce?”

“Truce,” Tess agreed, shaking her hand. 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”You go about your life thinking you’re complete, then you meet someone and realize you’re only half of something. People laugh about it. ‘Have you met my other half?’ Then, when you meet that person... you know it’s true. You’re only really whole when you’re with each other. Never ends well, does it?” Claire in Alec’s memory lamented.

“What doesn’t?” Alec asked.

“Love. It makes you strong and... then it pulls you down. However, it happens... one half always loses the other.”

Alec had that conversation with Claire when he sat with her after her... procedure. He didn’t understand why he was dreaming about it as he started to wake up, but he had a feeling it had to do with her sentiments regarding two halves made whole. He thought of Eve. The woman he was meant to be with. He unconsciously reached for her side of the bed weakly with his left arm, his eyes popping open when he found it  empty. He turned to his left to see Eve and Ellie seated at the table, and Tess was standing next to them, talking with them.

“What’s going on?” Alec asked confused as to why all three women would be there. He got out of bed, grabbing his blue jumper that Eve had left laid out at the foot of the bed for him. 

“Morning, cup of tea?’ Tess offered, setting down a file to go into the kitchen. 

Eve stood up from her seat at the table as he wandered into the living room, slipping his jumper on without raising his left arm. He was beginning to realize how Eve felt all the time. The redhead joined him on the couch, leaning over to peck his cheek, “Morning,  Mon Ráleur .”

“Morning,  Mo  Chridhe (My heart),” he greeted her watching as her eyes lit up as her brain registered what he’d just called her. 

“Claire’s gone from the house,” Ellie told him. “I found a pile of ash in the sink, presumable from where she burnt the photograph of herself wearing the pendant.”

“You’re saying Pippa’s pendant actually belong to Claire?” Alec asked in surprise as Tess returned, setting his mug of tea on the coffee table as she went to look at the papers on one of the walls.

“Well, Claire was wearing it in the photograph I saw,” Ellie said.

“So, she must have given it to Pippa at some point,” Alec observed, taking a sip of his tea. 

“Why though?” Eve thought out loud. “I mean if you’re going to pass on a pendant like that it would go to a family member not some else’s child. I mean my pendant,” she pointed at the amethyst pendant, “was my great grandmother’s. So, why give Pippa the pendant?”

Nobody had an answer. 

“She’s burnt the picture,” Alec spoke excitedly after a moment. “She’s panicking.” He turned to Eve, "That's good, eh? I like it when they panic.”

Eve giggled at his excitement, brushing his hair back, “Yes, you do, love.”

“Yeah, so what? Claire kills the girls and Lee covers for her?” Ellie theorized. “What would be her motive? Unless she was grooming Pippa for Lee.”

Tess interrupted, excitedly pointing at a post-it on the wall, “I knew I’d seen this name before, Gary Thorp.”

“Yeah, he runts that incinerator business Thorp AgriServices,” Ellie told her. 

“Yeah, and he was on the invite list to the wedding Rick and Cate went to. RSVP’d yes, didn’t turn up on the day.”

“Does he know Ricky and Cate? We haven’t talked to him?” Alec asked.

“There was no connection until  now. I’ll get on it,” Tess said, pausing when she saw the hopeful look on Alec’s face. “And no, it doesn’t mean we’ll reopen the case. Alright, what are you three  gonna do?”

Alec nodded to Ellie, “Miller is  gonna give Claire one last chance to confess.”

“Oh, am I?” Ellie asked sarcastically.

He nodded, “Aye, you are. We’re  gonna set a fire under her.” He took a sip of his tea as Ellie stepped outside to call Claire.

Eve turns to him curiously, “and what are we  gonna do?”

“You are going to drive me to see Lee,” He told her.

Her face dropped before she smirked, “Still just the chauffer then?”

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised.

“Yeah. You will. Once you can drive again. I am never driving again when it's just the two of us,” Eve said definitively.

“Fair enough,” Alec commented.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Hello ?” Claire asks upon answering her phone.

“Hi, it’s me. Where  are you?” Ellie asked.

“Like you care.”

Ellie sighed, “I saw the photograph, Claire. Why were you wearing a pendant belonging to Pippa Gillespie?”

“It wasn’t Pippa’s. It was mine. My gran gave it to me,” Claire said with a heavy sigh.

“Why did Pippa Gillespie have it? Why did you burn the photograph?” Ellie questioned.

Claire was silent on the other line for a few moments. Then, she muttered, “Do you know, I am... I am sick and tired of my life being defined by this, Ellie. I keep being dragged into something that I had nothing to do with.”

“Why do you still keep secrets from us?”

“The truth doesn’t help,” Claire denied.

“It gives peace to the families involved,” Ellie argued.

“You think so? Your friends, the parents of that boy your husband killed... are they at peace now?” Claire posed. Ellie was silent. “No, I didn’t think so.”

“Okay, Lisa Newbury, then,” Ellie switched tracks. “We need to know if she’s dead or alive, if there's a body to be found.”

“I had a life, Ellie, and it was destroyed in the rippled. They just keep coming at me. When is it ever  gonna stop?”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Lee wasn’t surprised to find Alec dressed in a pair of slacks and his normal white button up, but with the addition of a blue jumper, and his coat trekking up the hill towards him with Eve right behind him, whose coat was flapping in the breeze to reveal a dark blue blazer, a navy turtleneck bodysuit, blue velvet flare pants, and navy converse.

“Where’s Claire?” Alec asked.

“Don’t you know?” Lee countered.

“She’s left the cottage.”

Lee scowled, “What did she do that for?”

Alec just started grinning, “Anyway, I came to say thank you.”

Lee frowned, “For what?”

“South Mercia Constabulary have authorized the Sandbrook investigation to be re-opened. New leads, new evidence. Couldn’t have done it without you, that information you gave us. Yeah. Not gonna take long to wrap it up now,” Alec spun his tale. 

Lee stared between him and Eve in confusion at Alec’s new attitude. He looked him up and down, “Are you alright? There’s something different about you today.”

Alec’s grin got wider, and Eve couldn’t help the smile that came over her face. “Oh, I’m more than alright, Lee. I’m reborn.” He chuckles.

“What?” Lee asks with a confused chuckle.

“I thought this case would kill me. I thought I would die not knowing, having failed. Then, I had an operation, and after it, when I woke up... and I was alive, and I didn’t really expect to be alive... you know the first thing I felt?” Alec asked.

“What?” Lee played along.

“Angry,” Alec revealed, his  scottish brogue deepening. “Really, properly angry. For the  Gillespies , for Pippa, for Lisa, and most of all for what you did to Eve. I hadn’t felt that angry in years. That is a beautiful feeling, because I was... I was worn down, I was tired, I was beaten. Now, I’ve got a whole new lease of life. Whereas you, of course, look at you, you’re exhausted. Sick of running. Sick of not being able to escape what happened. I get that.”

Lee scowled, “You don’t get anything about me.”

“What I don’t get... is whether you’re lying to protect yourself, or someone else. Presumably Claire. I’d always thought she was lying to protect you. Maybe it’s the other way around,” Alec theorized out loud. “You can’t trust her.”

“You’re wrong,” Lee denied.

“Am I?” Alec goaded. “She ever  tell you she was pregnant?”

Eve’s eyes widened behind him while Lee’s face dropped, “When?”

“Judging by the dates, before the night Lisa and Pippa went missing, so all the time you were in custody,” Alec revealed 

“You’re lying,” Lee denied.

“Ask her,” Alec told him, knowing how much shit was about to drop on Claire. He needed there to be a confrontation between them though. He needs a rift to flush the truth out of them. 

“So, what happened to it?” Lee asked.

“Why don’t you ask her?” Alec countered. Then, he walked away using his left arm to turn Eve around before resting a hand on her lower back. 

The redhead kept looking over her shoulder in shock, “Why didn’t you tell me Claire had been pregnant?”

“I needed your reaction to be genuine,” He explained nonchalantly.

“How did you know though?” she asks curiously.

“I was there with her at the clinic when she got an abortion,” He told her.

“Oh,” Eve breaths.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

”Miss Bishop, I believe you have an application to make,” the Judge commenced.

“The defense wishes to recall former Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller as a witness for the defense. My Lady, I apply to treat DS Miller as a hostile witness,” Sharon announced.

Ellie had Tom with her in the seats Today, and they both looked thoroughly confused, as did everyone else, to hear that she was going to be in the witness box again. She obeyed; however, and swore herself in, reminding herself not to lose it again. 

“How close are you to your sister?” Sharon asked.

“Lucy?” Ellie echoed. “Pretty Close. We have our disagreements, you know, family.”

“At the end of the investigation into Danny Latimer’s death, were you aware she’d racked up substantial gambling debts?”

“I became aware, yeah,” Ellie answered exasperatedly.

“How did you become aware?”

Ellie shrugged, “Lucy told me she was in trouble.”

“Did she ask for help with the debts?”

“She did, I refused,” Ellie explained.

Sharon smirked, “On the day that your husband, the defendant was arrested, you wrote a check from the joint-account you hold with your husband for £1,000, made payable to your sister. Is that correct? What made you change your mind about helping her?”

“I don’t know,” Ellie said nervously.

“You don’t know why you suddenly gave your sister £1,000?” Sharon asked sounding skeptical.

“She was  desperate .”

Sharon scoffed, “It was you that was desperate, wasn’t it? Later that day, according to your police notebook, you told DI Hardy that your sister had given a statement describing a man conveniently matching the description of the defendant dumping clothes into a bin the night of Danny’s death. Did you bribe your sister to fabricate evidence against your husband?”

“No, I didn’t,” Ellie insisted.

“You bribed a witness to implicate your husband so that you could fix a failing investigation, and continue your affair with DI Hardy. Isn’t that true?” Sharon accused, spinning a new tale.

“Not a single word of this is true! I lent her the money to help-” Ellie yelled in desperation.

“Not ‘lent’, ‘bribed’!” Sharon interrupted. “On the condition that she help you frame your husband.”

“Nobody framed Joe. He killed Danny, he confessed.”

“After you beat him up, or before?”

Ellie turned to the jury, “Don’t listen to her! Everybody knows he killed Danny and I wish I’d been able to stop him!”

The Judge gave her a warning look, “Don’t lecture the jury, PC Miller. Your job is to answer the question.”

“No further questions, my Lady,” Sharon told her.

Ellie sighed heavily.

“That concludes the case for the defense.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Ellie felt defeated as she drove her and Tom back to the house, and groaned when she saw Eve and Alec waiting for her, leaning against the side of the house. She felt tired when Alec began giving orders when she went to get out of the car, “No, no, Miller back in the car.”

“What?” she asked in slight confusion.

“You boys are going to your Aunt Lucy’s, sleepover, it’ll be fun,” Alec told Tom nonchalantly as Eve walked  past Ellie to get in the backseat.

Tom looked at his mother in confusion as well, “What’s he talking about?”

She frowned, “I’ve no idea. You’re not going to Lucy’s.”

“Aye, they are. I’ve arranged it,” Alec said. “Me, your mum, and Aunt Eve have got work to do. You’ll have more fun at your Aunt’s anyway. We’ll drop you there now.” He looked at Ellie nonchalantly as he got in the  car, "How was court?”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

After dropping Tom off at Lucy’s, Ellie hesitantly told them about court, telling them about the mess she’d created by giving Lucy money.

“Yeah,  kinda already knew that, El,” Eve muttered.

“You bribed your sister?!” Alec shouted before turning to his fiancée in the back seat, “You knew about it?! Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Eve gave him a look, “How dumb do you think I am? I could put two and two together when Lucy all of a sudden came forward with evidence when she could’ve and should’ve done it from the beginning.”

“I did not bribe her!” Ellie insisted. “I lent her money, she made a statement, separate things!”

“Can you not see how that could get put together?” Alec asked incredulously.

I make mistakes, and I’m bloody sorry, but I didn’t kill a child!” She yelled. “They were gonna shut the case down. She knew something, but needed money. I did not know it was gonna be Joe!”

“That’s alright, then!” he scoffed.

Frustrated tears welled in Ellie’s eyes as she drove, “It’s  gonna be alright, they’ve got enough evidence, haven’t they? The prosecution?”

Alec shrugged, “It could go either way. Juries are funny animals.”

“Oh, God! Would it kill you to be reassuring? You are such bloody terrible company! I don’t know how Eve puts up with you,” Ellie accused him. “Why are we going back here, anyway?”

“Tess has found that Gary Thorp. I really want to talk to him.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

None of them expected Gary Thorp to be a young man in his early twenties, washing cars. Eve checked the information Tess had sent her again just to make sure they had the right place. 

“Gary Thorp?” Alec called causing the young man to turn around. “South Mercia Police. Are you the same Gary Thorp who owns Thorp AgriServices.”

“Used to,” the man answered weakly. “It was my Dad’s business. When he died, I took it over. Went bankrupt. What’s this about?”

“Did Cate Gillespie do your business accounts?” Alec asked him.

Gary thought about it before shrugging, “Not to my knowledge.”

Eve tilted her head, “Have you ever met her, or maybe her ex-husband, Ricky Gillespie?”

The man looked her up and down, but stopped when he saw the glare that Alec gave him. That combined with the ring on the redhead’s finger told him she was off limits. Gary nodded, “Once. He lent me case when I was in trouble. Money came through his niece, Lisa.”

Alec shifted on his feet, “So, you know Lisa Newbury?”

Gary nodded solemnly, “We went out a couple of times.”

“Was it serious?” Ellie asked.

“I wish!” he said eagerly with a chuckle before sobering. “Uh... I fell for her, big time. I thought she was the one, and she didn’t feel the same about me.”

“Why didn’t you come forward when Lisa disappeared?” Alec questioned incredulously.

“I wasn’t in any state,” Gary explained.

“Why not?”

Eve held up a finger before the man could answer, “Hold on, let me. You were so head over heels for Lisa that you stopped paying attention to the business. It was going down the crapper after that, and you lost control, started following Lisa?”

Gary looked ashamed, “I’m not proud of it.”

“Did you follow her when she was babysitting?” Ellie added. “Did you stand outside the Gillespies’ house when she was there?”

Gary nodded weakly.

“Where were you the night the girls disappeared?” Alec tacked on.

“In hospital,” he revealed. “I tried to kill myself.”

Eve blew a deep breath out of her mouth as she wrote that down in her journal, Alec doing the same in his notebook.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”So , what are you here for?” Ricky asked the three detectives when they visited him on site in his trailer office. 

“Did you ever give money to Gary Thorp?” Alec asked as Eve walked around the room, coming to freeze when she saw a picture of a field of bluebells. 

Ricky shrugged, “Nope, never heard of him.”

“He went out with Lisa a couple of times, got a business called Thorp AgriServices,” Elle elaborated.

Ricky’s eyes widened in recognition, “Yes... Yeah, I did give him some cash. Lisa asked for some help, said he had a cash flow problem, that I’d get it back.”

“Why didn’t you tell us at the time?’ Alec asked impatiently.

Ricky frowned, “Uh... ‘cos it didn’t seem important, you know, and it never came up.”

Alec turned his attention elsewhere, having gotten slightly concerned at the lack of the redhead’s presence at his side. Normally, she’d walk around a bit, looking around before eventually gravitating back to his side. The redhead, who was still just staring at the picture. He glanced at Eve before a landline sitting on one of the tables in the back caught his eyes. 

“Did you know he ran an animal  incineration business?” Ellie asked.

Ricky frowned, “Jesus. Do you think he had something to do with it?”

Alec’s concern finally won out when he saw the slightly horrified expression on Eve’s face. He walked over to her, resting a hand on her lower back comfortingly as he eyes became trained on the landscape picture hung up on the wall as well. “How long have you had this picture?” Alec asked.

Ricky looked back at them, shrugging, “A year, two.”

Eve shared a look with Alec. That was how long Pippa had been dead, and Lisa missing. 

Alec’s face hardened as he slowly turned to Ricky, “You like bluebells?”

Ricky forced a chuckle, ‘Uh... yeah, yeah. They’re alright, you know. They’re a... they’re a flower, aren’t they? So...” 

Alec grabbed Eve’s left hand gently, leading her out of the office. 

“Well, thank you very much for your time,” Ellie concluded quickly.

“Yeah,” Ricky waved them off.

As the trio walked off, Eve still looked dazed, and Alec turned to Elle, “You still got the number you found in Claire’s phone?”

“Yeah,” Ellie confirmed.

“Ring it,” Alec ordered, knowing Eve needed confirmation that her thoughts were correct.

Ellie pulled out her phone, dialing the number, holding it to her ear as it began ringing. Only, the distinct sound of a phone ringing echoed from inside the office trailer behind them. Eve gulped to keep the bile from rising in her throat as the three of them shared a look. 


	32. The Calamity

”What do we know about the defendant?” Jocelyn began her closing speech to the jury the next day. “We know he had a violent temper. We know he was in secret communication with Danny. We know he was secretly meeting Danny. We know the defendant has not been able to give us a satisfactory explanation as to why he had Danny’s phone, or why he gave Danny £500 in cash. We know forensics have placed him at the murder scene. You’ve heard sworn evidence that Joe Miller was seen dumping clothes that night. You have not heard any alibi evidence to place him anywhere else other than at the murder scene, and yet the one person we haven’t heard from is the defendant himself.”

Jocelyn looked back at Joe, “It’s a short walk from the dock to the witness box.” She gestured the distance with her hands, “I’ve counted it to be 13 steps. You may thing that if you’re falsely accused of a child’s murder, you’d make that short walk. You may even think you’d run there to reassure the jury of your innocence, but when given the opportunity to give his own account and explanation of the evidence against him, when given the chance to protest his  innocence , to shout it from the rooftops... he chooses to stay silent.”

She sneers, “Instead, he allows his lawyer to speculate, to throw red herrings around to try and distract you from the truth. You may conclude that the reason for all these distortions, and the reason the defendant has not got into that witness box is because he knows, he knows he can’t defend himself. He’s preferred to hide behind the glass, to hide behind fabricated stories his lawyers are fighting to convince you of.”

Jocelyn gestured towards Sharon, “In a moment, you’re going to hear from Miss Bishop, who’s going to make many ludicrous suggestions. It’s up to you, members of the jury, how seriously you take these, but the Crown’s case is that you can be sure of the defendant’s guilt. You can be sure Joe Miller...” She gestured towards Joe ,”... murdered Daniel Latimer.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve leaned against the railing on the upper floor of the courthouse, looking nauseous. Alec rested a hand on her back, rubbing up and down against the fabric of her black cardigan, “You alright?”

She shook her head as she stood, “Joe’s got to be convicted.” She looks at him pleadingly, “Please, lie to me and tell me we’ll win for sure.”

Alec smiled sadly, “We will.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”The Crown needs you to be sure. They’ve given you a version of events, but there’s a compelling alternative version of what happened that night,” Sharon began her closing speech. 

“It’s not in any dispute that Danny’s father, Mark,” she gestured to Mark, “was 50 yards away from the murder scene. Let’s stop and think about that. Mark Latimer had just engaged in illicit sex with a newfound mistress that had a profound effect on him, because according to his own evidence, he composed a letter to his wife telling her the marriage was over, that he had found his new soulmate. He interpreted a fumble in a car as true love.”

Sharon was silent for a few seconds before she proceeded, “Now, let’s remember that there was a window in the hut where Danny was, which had a direct view onto the carpark. Let’s say, that Danny saw his Dad with his new mistress. Let’s say that he ran from the hut and confronted his Dad. As soon as his face popped up at the car window, Mark’s dream, Mark’s absurd schoolboy fantasy was in pieces. He was jolted back to the real world.”

She gestured to the jury, “Just picture it. Danny’s  gonna run to his mum, tell her everything. Mark has a tiny window of opportunity to stop him, to explain, to reassure and persuade him not to tell. Now, let’s image Danny tried to break free, ran back to the hut. Mark follows him. There’s an altercation, and in the ensuing tragedy and confusion, Mark ends up killing Danny.”

Mark sat back in shock.

“Can you be sure that didn’t happen? You have also heard evidence that Nigel Carter was seen dumping Danny’s body that night. Can you be sure that Mark did not kill Danny and call his workmate and best friend to help him out of a crisis?”

Sharon turned to where Alec, Eve, and Ellie were sitting, “You may also feel that the police investigation was fundamentally flawed. Procedures  compromised; personal liaisons go in the way of the truth.”

Eve shook her head with a roll of her eyes at the mention of the affair that didn’t actually take place. Her thumb began to spin her engagement ring in slow circles.

Sharon turned back to the jury, “Now, it is an undoubted tragedy that a young boy was murdered, but it’s my job to represent the defendant, and it’s my contention that it’s impossible to be sure that this man...” she gestured to Joe, “... is guilty.”

“There is only one candidate on trial here,” the Judge began. “... the defendant. The prosecution  have to prove their case against this defendant. You have to be satisfied that you are sure of the defendant’s guilt. The defense, as part of their case, have offered you an alternative. If you think what the defense says is true, or may possible be true, then the prosecution  have failed in proving the guilt of the defendant. There is no burden on the defense to prove anything. There’s no obligation on the defendant to give evidence. Now, you may draw your own conclusions as to why the defendant has chosen not to give evidence, but bear in mind, he will have obtained legal advice on the matter. You are the judges of fact. You must put aside any emotion and approach this in a cold, analytical way. Consider and assess all of the evidence that you’ve heard. The first thing you need to do is appoint a foreperson, and if you need to be reminded of any evidence, just pass a note via the jury bailiff. You will now be escorted to a private room to begin your deliberations. Thank you.”

The jury stood up, and left the room, leaving a feeling of dread in their wake.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /

”Recurring suspects, what were they doing in the 12 hours before Lisa and Pippa went missing?” Alec asked Eve and Ellie, putting his glasses on, and treating the living room of his and Eve’s house as if it were the station. It certainly looked like it with all the files, papers, pictures, and maps strewn about the room.

“Uh... Right, well, Claire...” Ellie dragged  an orange highlighter along the map of the neighborhood in Sandbrook, “left work at four o’clock, and she went to do Cate’s hair...” she trailed off trying to figure out which direction the trail went. 

Alec pointed with his pinky at a spot on the map, “It’s there.”

“Oh...” Ellie drew the trail to that point, “for the wedding party that night.”

Eve stepped up with a blue highlighter, “Ricky Gillespie, he got home at 4:45, having spent the afternoon at a building site doing foundations.”

Alec grabbed a purple marker, and started marking Lee’s movements, “Lee finished a job that morning putting in flooring in a church hall, then went to by stock, we’ve got him on CCTV in the supplier’s carpark, a receipt timed at 14;27, so that all tallies. Claire and Cate both remember hearing him working on his own floor when Claire was doing Cate’s hair.”

Eve and Ellie both looked at the picture tacked to the wall of Claire, Lee, and Pippa in the living room in surrounded by Lee’s unfinished floor job. “When was that taken?” Ellie asked.

“About a week before,” Alec answered as Eve took the picture off the wall, putting her own glasses on to look at the color of the wood. “That leaves Gary Thorp, who says he spent all day and most of the evening at work, the place was on a 7-day, 24-hour activity during that period.”

“The furnace was  alight all weekend? Who else knew that?” Ellie asked.

“See, that is what bothers me,” Alec told them. “When I asked about Thorp AgriServices, he lied. He said maybe it was connected to Cate. He’d heard the name before, knew it was connected. How?”

Eve’s eyes closed as she thinks back to when they had visited the Thorp AgriServices building. Now, that she was focusing on it, she remembered the distinct smell of oak wood coming from the furnace. The same flooring that was down in Lee and Claire’s old house. 

“Well, Gary Thorp is a credible suspect, especially if he was stalking Lisa,” Ellie points out.

“Thorp didn’t do it,” Eve suddenly says out loud.

Alec and Ellie look at her in confusion, “How do you know that?”

Eve sticks the picture in the pocket of her cardigan, “I just do. Call it a hunch, but I’d bet my life that Thorp may have been stalking Lisa, but he had nothing to do with the girls.”

“There’s something else, isn’t there?” Ellie asks.

Eve fingers the picture in her pocket, “Might be.”

Alec nods slowly before asking, “How does Lee Ashworth know that Thorp was stalking Lisa? We only know ‘cos Thorp told us. Ashworth would have no reason to know.”

“Unless Lisa told him herself,” Ellie commented.

“Exactly,” Alec agreed excitedly. Eve smiled softly at him. “Ladies, there it is, that the lie. That’s the wee lie. He wanted me to think he’d heard about Thorp through Cate, but what if it was through Lisa?”

“If that’s the case, Lee must have known her better than he’s admitted,” Ellie pointed out.

“Mustn’t he!” Alec agreed.

Eve points at him, “Remember what I told you in the taxi after dinner with Tess and Daisy?”

Alec’s eyes widen as he thinks back to her telling him her theory that Ricky had gotten jealous and killed Lisa as a result. Then, he remembered her theory that Lee had killed Pippa for some reason that she hadn’t been able to determine. He took two large steps towards Eve, cupping her cheeks, kissing her passionately before pulling back to beam at her, “You’re bloody brilliant.”

Eve giggles as she  pats his cheek, “I try.”

Alec shakes his head, letting go of her face, “No trying you are.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alec waited patiently at the observation deck at the beach, knowing that Lee would take the bait when he texted him to meet him there. Lee stalked up to Alec, shoving his phone in the other man’s aggravatingly calm face, “What did that text mean? I’ve got something wrong?”

“Thought you’d come ‘round. Spoken to Claire yet?” Alec asked nonchalantly.

“What do you want?” Lee scowled.

“Did you ever sleep with Lisa Newbury?” Alec questioned.

Lee clenched his jaw, “No.”

“Did you want to?”

“No.”

“Did she turn you down? Knock you back?

“No.”

“What did Claire make of you and Lisa?”

“There was no ‘me and Lisa’. I barely even spoke to her,” Lee insisted.

“Right. Just slept with her?” Alec retorted. He stared Lee down, “What’s it like to kill someone, Lee? What’s it like to be in the room when the life goes out of a person? How does it feel to be responsible for that?”

Lee glared at him, “I told you, I don’t know.”

“I think you do,” Alec muttered. “I look at you and I see someone stained by death. I think it haunts you every single day. Just confess, Lee. I’m nearly there, anyway.”

“I’ve got nothing else to say,” Lee told him.

“Between you and Claire, I think there’s plenty still to say. I’m  gonna make you say it,” Alec countered challengingly.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The Judge cleared her throat, “The jury have asked to see a photograph of the view from the window of the clifftop hut.” She looked at the jury over the top of her glasses, “We will get copies to you straightaway.” She looked back at the paper in her hand, “And the second question is to clarify... to clarify whether Mark Latimer was ever questioned by the police as a suspect.” The Judge took off her glasses, “ Um.. Yes, he was. He was arrested for obstruction, and spoke to in connection with Danny’s death.”

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve was confused to see her brother walking into the courthouse, “What are you doing here, grease monkey?”

John shrugged, “Couldn’t help myself. I smelled a juicy sentencing.”

Eve snorted, “Uh-huh. Wouldn’t have anything to do with Ellie, would it?”

John averts his eyes, “I don’t know what you mean, twinkie.”

Eve smirks, crossing her arms over her chest, “Oh, I think you do.” She dropped her arms to lean in and whisper, “Just do me a favor, give her time to actually get over her husband, and get back into the normal swing of things before you start trying to woo her.”

John nods understandingly, “Of course.”

A door to a courtroom burst open loudly causing everyone to startle badly. Ellie, who was sitting up at a table on the upper floor with Tom, spilled her coffee.

Everyone glanced around nervously as they waited for the jury to make their decision.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Once the jury was seated again, the clerk stood up, “Madam Foreperson,” an older woman with grey hair stood, “please answer my first question ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Have you reached a verdict on this defendant upon which you all agreed?”

“No,” the foreperson answered, getting a sigh from everyone. 

Eve leaned forward in her seat on Alec’s right and John’s left, resting her head in her hands. “I’m  gonna throw up,” she muttered.

“Watch out for my shoes,” John joked, causing Eve to look up and glare at him.

The Judge turned to the jury, “I would urge you to continue trying to reach a unanimous verdict, but I am prepared to accept a verdict upon which at least ten of you are agreed.” She nodded towards a bailiff, “Would you please now go with the jury bailiff? Thank you.”

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Eve and Alec were sitting on once of the benches of the lower level of the courthouse while Ellie, John, Tom, and Lucy were playing cards to pass time at a table on the upper level. Ellie was lightly twisting her chair from side to side, when she turned towards the entrance of the courthouse and spotted Claire walking in. She quickly got of her chair, walking briskly to the stairs and down them as she watched Claire approach Alec and Eve, digging a hand in her backpack.

Eve looked up to see Claire, and quickly smacked Alec’s arm a few times to get his attention, and he looked up from his phone to see Claire coming towards them. Both of them stood. “What are you doing here?” Alec asked her in confusion.

“You want the bloody pendant?” Claire countered angrily, pulling a plastic evidence with the pendant inside out of her backpack. She smacked it against his chest, “Have it!”

“No,” Alec stared at it in disbelief, before anger made his blood boil. He held it up in her face, yelling, “You took this? You had this all along?”

Ben came over to them, “There’s a verdict. The jury are coming back in.” 

Claire tried to use the distraction to sneak away, but Alec quickly grabbed her arm, “No, no, no.” He pulled her along with the group as they started towards the courtroom. “You’re not leaving my sight. Come on!”

Claire looked back at Eve smugly, “Did he tell you we shagged? I was pregnant, it was his.”

Eve rolled her eyes with a scoff, “I’m afraid I don’t believe a word out your stupid fucking mouth anymore, you cunt.”

Alec jerked Claire towards the stairs, “Not another word out of you.”

They piled into the courtroom, Alec sat Claire down in the seat on his left, so that Eve could have his right like she preferred. He pulled out his phone to send a quick text to Tess, telling her that Claire had just given him the pendant, and that he needed her at the Wessex Crown Court.

The clerk turned to the jury, “Madame Foreperson, please answer my first question ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Have you reached a verdict on this defendant?”

She nodded, “Yes.”

Eve reached for Alec’s hand, pulling it into her lap, playing with his fingers absently. Ellie leaned forwards in her seat between John and Tom. 

“Is this the verdict of you all, or as a majority?”

“A majority,” the foreperson told him.

“Will the defendant please stand?” The clerk told Joe.

Joe stood nervously. Eve squeezed Alec’s hand tightly. 

“Do you find the defendant, Joseph Michael Miller, guilty or not guilty?” The clerk asked the foreperson.

Tears welled in Eve’s eyes, and she let out a shaky breath as she waited for the answer.

“Not guilty,” the foreperson answered. 


End file.
